Kamala Harris, VP pick Tim Walz debut at Philadelphia rally

Vice President Kamala Harris ended weeks of speculation Tuesday by announcing Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate in the presidential race, choosing him over a short list of Democratic candidates that included Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro.

Harris announced on social media just before 10:30 a.m. that she had asked Walz to join her on the Democratic ticket and then, about 7½ hours later, the pair appeared on stage together in front of a raucous crowd in North Philadelphia.

“He’s the kind of person who makes people feel like they belong and then inspires them to dream big,” Harris said of Walz while standing with him on stage inside Temple University’s Liacouras Center. “That’s the kind of vice president America deserves.”

Taking the microphone after Harris, Walz revved up the crowd for the rigorous campaign to come. “We’ve got 91 days. My God, that’s easy. We’ll sleep when we’re dead,” he said.

Tuesday’s announcement and rally ended a whirlwind two-plus weeks in which several Democrats, including Shapiro, emerged as potential running mates being considered by Harris.

Before Tuesday’s rally, Shapiro and several other contenders for the vice-presidential nomination, endorsed the selection of Walz. Shapiro proclaimed his “enthusiastic support” for Harris, even though he won’t be on the ballot in November.

“I know that Governor Tim Walz is an exceptionally strong addition to the ticket who will help Kamala move our country forward,” Shapiro said in a statement.

Shapiro said Harris had asked him to complete the vetting process to be considered as a potential running mate nearly two weeks ago. He spoke with Harris directly on Sunday.

“As I’ve said repeatedly over the past several weeks, the running mate decision was a deeply personal decision for the vice president — and it was also a deeply personal decision for me,” Shapiro said. “Pennsylvanians elected me to a four-year term as their governor, and my work here is far from finished — there is a lot more stuff I want to get done for the good people of this commonwealth.”

Who is Walz?

Walz, 60, was a non-commissioned Army officer, public school teacher and state high school football championship coach before he was a politician.

He served for 12 years in the U.S. House of Representatives, representing a mostly rural Minnesota district.

Walz was elected governor of Minnesota in 2018.

An ABC News/Ipsos poll found that about nine in 10 U.S. adults didn’t know enough about him to have an opinion. Of those who did, opinions were split between positive and negative.

The Minnesota governor recently created a buzz by calling former President Donald Trump “weird,” which quickly became a popular tactic for attacking the Republican ticket.

Walz said on X that it was an honor to join the Harris campaign.

“I’m all in,” Walz wrote. “Vice President Harris is showing us the politics of what’s possible. It reminds me a bit of the first day of school. So, let’s get this done, folks! Join us.”

Since President Joe Biden last month dropped out of the race and Harris quickly moved into position as the Democratic nominee, Shapiro’s name had been among those garnering national attention on the short list for the party’s vice presidential candidate in November.

Speculation that Shapiro had earned the nod skyrocketed after Harris last week announced her intention to kick off a battleground-state tour Tuesday in Philadelphia.

Shapiro had been seen as a top choice for Harris’ running mate, in part, experts said, because he could help her win Pennsylvania’s critical 19 electoral votes. The Keystone State is considered by many to be a must-win for Democrats in November.

Some experts suggested that Shapiro could help draw moderate voters who may not be as inclined to embrace Harris’ more progressive politics.

In the days leading up to Harris’ announcement, Shapiro faced criticisms for his stance on private school vouchers, his unabashed support for Israel, and his handling of a sexual harassment case against a top aide — but experts said the naysayers did little to damage his reputation or his chances of securing a spot on the November ticket.

Other contenders who were considered to be among Harris’ top picks included U.S Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

Kelly wrote on X that a Harris-Walz ticket will “move us forward. They’re already building a campaign to unite our country…”

In a statement posted to Facebook, Beshear wrote: “It was an honor to be considered in this process, but Tim Walz is a great friend and a great choice. I fully support this new ticket and will work to elect Kamala Harris as our next President of the United States.”

Joining the Democratic chorus praising Harris’ pick was former President Barack Obama, who called Walz an “ideal partner.”

Obama said Walz’s “signature is his ability to talk like a human being and treat everyone with decency and respect…”

Key labor unions applauded Walz, too.

“American workers deserve leaders who fight for them every day,” United Steelworkers International President David McCall said in a statement. “For four years, we’ve been fortunate to have seen exactly that kind of leadership from President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. We have no doubt Tim Walz will continue that work to move our nation forward.”

Angela Ferritto, president of Pennsylvania AFL-CIO in a statement lauded the work Walz did to protect workers in Minnesota. He signed comprehensive pro-worker legislation, Ferritto said, to ban unfriendly non-competes, guarantee paid sick leave and protect workers from wage theft.

Partisan Pa. takes

Michelle McFall, Democratic party chair in Westmoreland County, said she was excited about the ticket and believed other Democratic voters in her area were, too.

“Vice President Harris was in a very enviable position. She had such a tremendous pool of potential running mates, and she chose what’s going to be best for her race, what’s going to be best for this election,” McFall said.

McFall said she was confident that Pennsylvania voters would turn out for Harris, even if Shapiro isn’t on the ticket.

“It stings a little that it’s not going to be our hometown guy,” she said.

Pennsylvania Senate President Pro Tempore Kim Ward, R-Hempfield, quickly attacked Harris and Walz for having an “elitist, radical agenda which is out of touch with most Americans.”

Ward also criticized Shapiro, saying that “troubling issues” emerged with the Pennsylvania governor after he stepped into a national spotlight as a vice-presidential contender.

“A Harris/Walz ticket is more California than Pennsylvania, and no guarantee for a Pennsylvania win this November,” Ward said.

Allegheny County Councilman and GOP committee chairman Sam DeMarco said Walz is far left of center, citing his state’s move to issue driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants. He criticized Walz’ response to the George Floyd riots and said the governor needed to act more quickly and call in the National Guard.

“This is the best news that the Trump campaign has had in three weeks,” DeMarco said.

Staff writer Justin Vellucci contributed to this report.