It’s time to learn about a new guy! Kamala Harris has picked Tim Walz as her running mate, which means you’re about to be inundated with information about the Minnesota governor. You’ll probably hear a lot about how he leveraged a Democratic majority in Minnesota’s state government to pass a slew of progressive legislation last year. He made access to abortion a fundamental right in the state, ensured that kids have access to two free meals a day at school, legalized recreational marijuana, protected access to gender-affirming care, and restored voting rights to 50,000 felons who had already served time.
That is all well and good (great, even), but what’s actually important in a presidential election is vibes. You can have a compelling record, but that means nothing if your vibe sucks (see: President Joe Biden). So what’s the deal with Walz? Well, if we had to boil down his vibe to one word, it would probably be “jolly.” If you have not been paying attention to Minnesota state politics, here’s a rundown on what Walz brings to the table energy-wise.
He’s down for the ride (literally)
This video from the Minnesota State Fair, in which Walz refuses to acknowledge his daughter’s vegetarianism and then screams really loudly on the slingshot, really sums up his charm to me. He’s got great comedic timing, he’s wearing a Bruce Springsteen shirt, and he’s down to go on a scary ride. That is actually everything you want from a VP candidate.
He loves kids …
Look at how happy all these kids are to be getting free breakfast and lunch every day. Before his political career, Walz spent 20 years as a social-studies teacher. While working at Mankato High School, he served double duty as both the football coach and the faculty advisor of the school’s first Gay-Straight Alliance.
And animals!
If you can’t tell, Walz loves the state fair. Here he is holding a piglet, looking like the happiest man in America. (He got really into the butter-carving competition one year.) Walz also has a dog named Scout, a black lab he promised to his son if he won the governor’s race.
If you really want to be charmed, here’s a thread Walz shared from when Scout managed to lock herself in his and his wife’s bedroom.
He says what everyone’s thinking
You know how the new Democratic talking point is that Donald Trump is a “weird” guy? You can thank Walz for that. One of the governor’s great gifts is that he radiates Normal Guy Energy, and he can really make this talking point work because it’s what a lot of people already think. Plus there’s something comforting about the way a Midwestern accent says the word “weird.”
He shares a common interest with fellow VP nominee J.D. Vance
Do you see it? It’s not the cat, and it’s not Taylor Swift. I’ll give you another hint.
Is it more obvious now? Like Vance, Walz is a fiend for Diet Mountain Dew. What an odd coincidence. Earlier this year, for Walz’s 60th birthday, his staff surprised him with a celebration, and he made special note of the fact that there was Diet Mountain Dew present.
While we don’t know why Vance loves the soda, Walz has a pretty good reason. In 1995, he was pulled over after going 96 mph in a 55-mph zone, and proceeded to fail the field sobriety test. He pleaded guilty to reckless driving, and in a 2018 interview with the Star Tribune, Walz revealed that he no longer drinks. He opts instead for the electric chartreuse pop. Whatever works!
It is kind of funny that no matter who gets elected in November, there will be a pallet of Diet Mountain Dew arriving at the Naval Observatory come 2025.
He’s got fans
Obviously, Vice-President Harris has decided she’s a member of Walz Nation, but she’s not the only one. Other Minnesota politicians have already declared their support with Senator Amy Klobuchar writing on X, “As a veteran, a high school teacher and football coach, and our Minnesota Governor, Tim Walz has been an incredible leader (and on top of that, a good friend).”
Walz even has the respect of people further to the right of him. Joe Manchin, the West Virginia senator who switched his registration from Democrat to Independent earlier this year, gave a surprisingly rousing endorsement of Walz as the VP pick.
Former New York gubernatorial candidate Cynthia Nixon also showed her support, albeit with this truly bizarre video that attempts to capitalize on the Kamala x brat crossover.
And with that, welcome to the national stage, Governor Walz!
