Nonilex#Harris selects Minnesota Gov. Tim #Walz to be VP running mate, sources say
https://www.cnn.com/webview/politics/live-news/kamala-harris-trump-election-08-06-24?cid=ios_app
Vice President #KamalaHarris has told allies that he she has chosen #Minnesota Gov. #TimWalz to be her running mate, opting for a former high school #teacher & Midwestern Democrat to complete a newly assembled presidential ticket following, according to 2 people familiar with the pick, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a decision that is not yet public.
In picking #Minnesota Gov. #TimWalz, MVP #KamalaHarris has selected an experienced politician w/executive governing experience & signaled the importance of Midwestern battleground states such as Wisconsin & Michigan.
#Walz is scheduled to appear w/ #Harris in coming days in each of the 7 most competitive states — #Pennsylvania, #Wisconsin, #Michigan, #NorthCarolina, #Georgia, #Arizona & #Nevada.
#TimWalz, a second-term governor & chair of the Democratic Governors Assn, does not hail from a traditional battleground state — #Minnesota has supported a Republican presidential candidate only once since 1960. But his credentials as a #veteran & #gun owner [👎🏻] who previously represented a #Republican-leaning, rural part of Minnesota in #Congress could help #Harris appeal to working-class #White voters who have turned away from Democrats & helped fuel #Trump’s political rise.
It’s not every day a former #PublicSchool #teacher ends up on a presidential ticket. But for the students & teachers who crossed paths w/ #TimWalz during his decade teaching in #Mankato — a midsize city south of #Minneapolis — it’s easy to look back now & see the signs that he could find himself in exactly that position.
#VoteBlue #HarrisWalz2024 #Harris2024
https://www.washingtonpost.com/style/power/2024/08/02/tim-walz-kamala-harris/
#Walz arrived in #Minnesota in 1996, from his home state of #Nebraska, along w/his wife, Gwen, who got a job #teaching English at the same school. At #Mankato West, Mrs & Mr Walz were seen as powerhouse #teachers who balanced out each other’s energy-levels: she was more reserved, & he was a boisterous ball of energy.
…Walz quickly earned the reputation as a guy who could get the most out of people.
#Walz’s love of #history was infectious in the classroom where he would host “Jeopardy!”tournaments & invite other teachers to #debate current events.
“Sometimes he would remind me of the Chris Farley character Matt Foley from SNL. Our school didn’t have AC, & he would get all sweaty & really #passionate about whatever he was talking about.…his shirt would get disheveled, but the passion would transfer over to us” says Blake Frink, who became a geography #teacher bc he had been in Walz’s class.
“Sometimes he would remind me of the Chris Farley character Matt Foley from SNL. Our school didn’t have AC, & he would get all sweaty & really #passionate about whatever he was talking about.…his shirt would get disheveled, but the passion would transfer over to us” says Blake Frink, who became a geography #teacher bc he had been in Walz’s class.
Ross of Ottawa@Nonilex Uh oh - if we hear Walz is living in a van down by the river, that might not help the ticket much.
Bret Mogilefsky