Tim Walz, Governor of Minnesota, Runs for Vice President
Public domain photo. TIm Walz, governor of Minnesota, now running for vice president of the United States.
A Unique Background for a Vice Presidential Candidate
Most of the top politicians in the US are lawyers by trade, so it is something new too see a retired army sergeant and high school social studies teacher makes it to the top rung of U.S. politics, but such is the case for Tim Walz, the plain-spoken Minnesota governor whom Vice President Kamala Harris picked Tuesday to be her number two in the November presidential election in the United States.
A Different Perspective on Politics
Walz will not be quite the first, as Lyndon Baines Johnson, vice president to John F. Kennedy had also been a schoolteacher. He already has endeared himself to Democratic partisans by branding Harris’ Republican opponent, former President Donald Trump, and his vice-presidential running mate JD Vance, as “just weird,” portraying them as unfit to govern the country for four years starting in January 2025.
A Strong Backing from the Progressive Wing of the Democratic Party
Walz has won support from the more liberal, progressive wing of the Democratic party during 12 years as a congressman in the U.S. House of Representatives and five-plus years as Minnesota’s governor in the U.S. heartland. However, he is a largely unknown and untested figure on the U.S. national political stage.
Early Polls Show Walz is a Mystery to Most Americans
An August NPR/PBS News/Marist poll showed that most Americans – including most Democrats — had neither a positive nor negative opinion about Walz, largely because they hardly know him. About 7 in 10 adults and registered voters surveyed in the national poll said they were “unsure” whether they had heard of him or had “never heard” of Walz, including more than 6 in 10 Democrats.
Biography of Tim Walz
Walz was born and raised in a small rural town in Nebraska in the agricultural Midwest of the U.S. and later moved with his wife, the former Gwen Whipple, to her home state of Minnesota. The couple has two children, Hope, 23, and Gus, 17. Walz served 24 years in the Army National Guard, taught at Mankato West High School, and coached the school’s football team, winning a state championship one year.
Promising a Liberal Agenda as Vice President
During Walz’s second term as governor starting in early 2023, Minnesota Democrats have controlled both houses of the state legislature and have been able to advance a liberal policy agenda, winning favor with the progressive wing of the national party.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Tim Walz is an unlikely candidate for vice president, coming from a background of teaching and serving in the military, but he has won over many with his progressive views and policies as governor of Minnesota. His running mate, Kamala Harris, believes he will bring a unique perspective to the vice presidential role.
FAQs
Q: Who is Tim Walz?
A: Tim Walz is the governor of Minnesota and a candidate for vice president of the United States.
Q: What is his background?
A: Walz was born and raised in Nebraska and served in the Army National Guard before becoming a teacher and coach. He later entered politics and became a congressman and governor of Minnesota.
Q: What are his policy views?
A: Walz supports liberal policies such as free breakfast and lunch in schools, free college tuition for low-income families, and the right to abortion.