Minnesota Governor Tim Walz will join the Democratic ticket as Kamala Harris’s running mate in the 2024 presidential election, multiple news outlets reported Tuesday.
Kamala Harris Taps Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz As Running Mate
Speaking with two sources familiar with the matter, The Hill journalists Amie Parnes and Brandon Conradis noted that Walz’s popularity increased dramatically over the last week following a viral interview branding certain Republicans as “weird.”
According to CNN, Walz has been a “staff favorite” of the Harris campaign despite previous rumors that Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro may have been selected as her running mate.
Hailing from small town Minnesota, Walz may be seen as an ideal candidate for pulling in key voters from the midwestern United States.
Following news of Walz’s ascendency, Polymarket betters overwhelmingly backed the former U.S. army officer as Harris’ formal pick, with his odds jumping from 60% to near 100% in mere moments.
It is the honor of a lifetime to join @kamalaharris in this campaign.
I’m all in.
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. https://t.co/tqOVsw2OLM
— Tim Walz (@Tim_Walz) August 6, 2024
“It is the honor of a lifetime to join @kamalaharris in this campaign. I’m all in,” Walz said in a statement Tuesday. ”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.”
The 2024 Election Heats Up
Currently in his second term as Minnesota’s governor, Walz is known for his wide-ranging liberal policies, including legalizing recreational marijuana and passing universal background checks on firearm purchases statewide.
His political values evidenced in his governmental tenure appear to align strongly with objectives Harris hopes to continue during her presidency, with current U.S. President Joe Biden himself advocating for increased gun control across the nation.
Walz, however, has remained relatively mum in regards to his stance on digital assets, though Biden and Harris have garnered flack from members of the crypto community for their stringent approach to digital asset regulation.
Meanwhile, Republican nominee Donald Trump and his running mate Ohio Senator J.D. Vance have largely embraced a crypto-friendly regulatory framework in the runup to November.
“We will have regulations, but from now on the rules will be written by people who love your industry, not hate your industry,” Trump told audiences at the Bitcoin 2024 Conference last week.
With reports suggesting Harris might be “more open” to crypto, digital asset holders nationwide are watching closely to see how she and Walz will address their concerns.