Harris' running mate, why him?
2024-08-07
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On August 6 local time, US Vice President and 2024 Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris announced on social media that she had chosen Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate, ending speculation over the past two weeks about who she would choose as her running mate.
Harris said Walz has made many contributions to working families like his as a governor, coach, teacher and veteran. "I'm glad he's joining our team," Harris said.
Waltz, 60, has a very rich resume. He served in Congress for 12 years, was elected governor of Minnesota in 2018, and won re-election in 2022. After Harris announced his running mate, Waltz also responded on social media: "I will do my best."
Rogers Smith, a professor of political science at the University of Pennsylvania, said in an interview with the Beijing News that Waltz is popular among progressive Democrats, and Harris can also show that she is a progressive by choosing him as her running mate. In addition, choosing Waltz can help Harris win broader support.
On the evening of August 6, Harris and Waltz appeared hand in hand in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and attended a campaign rally together for the first time. On the same day, the Democratic National Committee announced that Harris and Waltz had officially accepted the nomination and became the Democratic presidential and vice presidential candidates in 2024. In about three months, the two will work together to deal with Republican presidential candidate Trump and his running mate JD Vance.
Taught in China and has 24 years of military service experience
It is not surprising that Waltz became Harris' running mate. Since US President Biden withdrew from the election and Harris became the Democratic Party's main candidate, Waltz has been considered one of the popular candidates to become Harris' running mate.
As Harris said, Waltz has a very rich life experience. Waltz was born in a small town in Nebraska in April 1964 and graduated from Chadron State College with a degree in sociology. After graduating from college, Waltz participated in Harvard University's "World Teach" program and taught in a high school in China for a year.
Waltz's connection with China does not end there. In 1994, Waltz founded a company called "Educational Travel Adventures", which organized students to study and travel in China every year. This activity lasted until 2003.
After finishing his teaching in China, Waltz returned to a high school in Nebraska to teach. There, Waltz met his wife Gwen, and the two got married in 1994 and moved to Gwen's hometown of Minnesota in 1996. After that, Waltz continued to coach at a high school and also served as the school football coach, leading the school team to win the state championship for the first time.
It is worth noting that Waltz joined the National Guard at the age of 17 and has served in the National Guard for 24 years. During this period, he went to Europe to participate in missions.
In 2006, at the age of 42, Waltz officially entered politics and participated in the congressional elections of that year. Unexpectedly, he defeated Republican Congressman Kiel Cootenay, who had been re-elected for six terms, and was successfully elected to the House of Representatives in Minnesota's First Congressional District. Since then, Waltz has won re-election five times. In 2018, Waltz announced his candidacy for the governor of Minnesota and was successfully elected. In 2022, Waltz was re-elected.
File photo: On June 24, 2024, Minnesota Governor Waltz attended an event in Minneapolis. Xinhua News Agency
As you can see, Waltz has almost never lost a campaign. But he faced severe challenges when he was the governor of Minnesota. In May 2020, George Floyd, an African American man, was killed by a police officer, which triggered a "Black Lives Matter" protest that spread across the United States. Waltz's initial response was criticized by some, but he subsequently promoted a series of police system reforms, including that police officers should not use "chokeholds" when they are not facing major threats.
After winning re-election in 2022, Democrats controlled both houses of the Minnesota Legislature, so Waltz was able to introduce a series of legislation that was more Democratic, including protecting abortion rights, legalizing recreational marijuana, restricting gun rights, and providing free school meals for all children. Some media pointed out that if Democrats want to see what it would be like if their party governed the entire state, Minnesota is an example.
The first Democrat to call Trump a 'weirdo'
Waltz is a very popular politician in Minnesota, but he is not well-known nationwide. In fact, it was at this critical turning point when Biden withdrew from the race and Harris took over that Waltz gained national attention.
On the one hand, Waltz actively supports Harris to become the Democratic presidential candidate. It is reported that Waltz spoke with Harris a few hours after Biden announced his withdrawal from the election. On the other hand, Waltz has been interviewed by the US media many times, and his remarks that Trump and Vance are "weird" have also caused heated discussions several times.
Some media pointed out that Waltz was the first Democrat to call Trump and the Republicans "weirdos." His statement was also supported by Harris, who also began to use "weirdos" to describe Trump and other Republicans in her campaign. Some people believe that the label of "weirdos" is a blow to the Republican Party. Trump himself also responded to this label, saying, "No one has ever called me a weirdo. I have many characteristics, but I am not weird."
But in fact, Waltz is not without competitors. In recent days, many US media pointed out that due to the criticality of Pennsylvania in the general election, the state's governor Josh Shapiro is also very likely to be Harris's choice. But in the end, Harris chose Waltz instead of Shapiro.
"The main reason Harris chose Waltz instead of Shapiro is that while Shapiro can help Harris win Pennsylvania, he has become a divisive choice nationally," Rogers Smith told the Beijing News.
On August 6, 2024, local time, in Philadelphia, the United States, U.S. Vice President Harris and his partner, Minnesota Governor Waltz, attended a campaign rally. Photo/IC photo
Shapiro is one of the most popular governors in the U.S., with an approval rating of 60%. But many liberals oppose Shapiro's candidacy for Democratic vice president because of his comments criticizing pro-Palestinian protesters and his repeated staunch support for Israel, which is controversial among Democrats.
In contrast, Smith believes that Waltz is more popular among progressive Democrats, and Harris can also show that she is a progressive by choosing him as her running mate. More importantly, Waltz can help Harris win the "Middle America" region, where there is a large population without strong ideological tendencies and who hope to have a positive, optimistic leader who truly seeks unity to lead the country.
Waltz's supporters think he has the temperament of a "Midwestern dad," which makes him very approachable. "Waltz is a very popular Democrat. He seems enthusiastic and sociable. I think he can be an excellent campaigner," Smith said. "For Harris, many people will support her more because she chose Waltz."
After the running mate is selected, Harris and Waltz will launch a five-day campaign across seven key swing states. They will start in Pennsylvania and then go to Wisconsin, Michigan, North Carolina, Georgia, Arizona and Nevada for activities.
Some analysts believe that Waltz, who comes from a small town in the Midwest and has a friendly personality, is expected to help Harris win the support of Midwestern people, who are more likely to resonate with Waltz. In addition, some people believe that Waltz can become a strong opponent of Vance, thereby helping Harris increase her chances of winning in the final "decisive battle."
Beijing News reporter Xie Lian
Editor Zhang Lei Proofreader Yang Li
