ATLANTA — Kamala Harris finally has a running mate as she vies for a spot in the White House. On Tuesday, the presidential candidate announced that the governor of Minnesota and former congressman would join her on the Democratic ticket.
Political expert Andre Gillespie believes his Midwest background could help shore up support from a wider range of Democrats, including from the Georgia voter base.
“In metro Atlanta, we often forget that there is another part of the state that looks more rural. His farm background is going to be something that can speak to them, and he can articulate working-class issues in a way that the Harris campaign hopes can be effective," Gillespie said.
Who is Tim Walz?
Walz was born in West Point, Nebraska, a community of about 3,500 people northwest of Omaha; Walz joined the Army National Guard and became a teacher in Nebraska.
After serving in the National Guard for 24 years, he retired and won his first term in the Congress in 2006 and used the office to champion veterans' issues.
11Alive spoke with Georgia voters, getting their reaction on the man joining Harris on the ticket.
Peach State voter Dante Elia expressed his support of the candidate, pointing to his liberal track record: " He's been in Congress 12 years. He’s been a governor. He’s a solid choice."
Another voter, Joyce Norman, shared that they were surprised over Harris's pick.
"I thought it was going to be Kelly or Josh Shapiro," the Georgia voter said.
According to Walz's campaign page, "Tim Walz [has] cut taxes for working families, lowered the cost of insulin and eliminated junk fees, and protected women’s right to choose. taxes for working families lowered the cost of insulin, eliminated junk fees, and protected women’s right to choose."
In the 2023 legislative session, Walz and other Democrats swept protections for abortion rights, enacted new protections for transgender rights, enacted a paid family leave program and legalized recreational marijuana for adults in Minnesota.
Gillespie also spoke to the importance of Waltz' age stating that it could be used as a way to appeal to voters who are looking for a candidate with experience.
“At the end of the day, the fact that Tim Walz is 20 years older than JD Vance could actually speak to some larger issues that he has had more experience with as being an everyday middle American of being a high school teacher, of having grown up on a farm, of having spent longer in the service then JD Vance had," Gillespie said.
Republicans complained that Walz and his fellow Democrats squandered a surplus that would have been better spent on permanent tax relief for everyone.
While Georgia Democrats like Stacey Abrams are excited to see Harris choose Walz, some Republicans have been outspoken about their opposition to Harris's choice.
Abrams said in an X post, "His leadership and dedication to public service make him the perfect partner to build a brighter future for all Americans."
Republican U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene also took to X, slandering Walz and his policies. She added, "Tim Walz did nothing while Minneapolis burned."
Greene posted that with the pictures of the 2020 protests in the city where George Floyd was shot and killed by a white police officer. His death sparked outrage and protests nationwide.