Vice President Kamala Harris has decided on her running mate, according to reports from several news outlets.
On Tuesday morning, Harris decided on Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her vice president pick, individuals close to the situation told The Hill, The Washington Post, CNN and others.
Harris is expected to announce her decision on Tuesday. This week, Harris and her running mate will embark on a cross-country tour, holding rallies in seven battleground states over five days, beginning with an event Tuesday evening in Philadelphia. Harris and Walz will conclude the tour in the West, with rallies in Phoenix and Las Vegas on Friday and Saturday.
Walz, 60, is a former U.S. Army National Guard member and a high school teacher. After a decade teaching social studies and coaching football, Walz served five terms in the Congress, before returning to Minnesota in 2018 to run for governor.
He is the first Democratic vice presidential nominee since 1964 that does not have a law degree, The Washington Post reported.
Walz boosted his image during the “veepstakes” through a series of high-profile television appearances over the past week. He echoed Harris campaign’s messaging with precision, calling former President Donald Trump and Sen. JD Vance “weird” and warning that they would cut back reproductive freedoms if elected.
Harris was reportedly considering several other men to be her running mate, including Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro; Sen. Mark Kelly, R-Arizona; Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg; Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear; and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker. By Monday afternoon, Reuters reported, Harris had narrowed her consideration to Shapiro and Walz.
But the decision to tap Walz — even when Shapiro, the popular governor of the swing state with the most electoral votes, was the betting favorite — may be a result of a progressive campaign against Shapiro. In recent days, as knowledge of Harris’ deliberations leaked, progressive groups have railed Shapiro for his policy positions, including his support for Israel and school vouchers.
The first two weeks of Harris’ campaign have been bolstered by a burst of energy from young, progressive voters, many of whom were alienated by Biden’s support for Israel. Some close to Harris are fearful that picking Shapiro would have alienated those voters.
“I can see them looking at the explosion of enthusiasm from young people and being spooked out of nominating him if it risks bringing Gaza back into the conversation,” one Democratic strategist told Politico.
Picking Walz, one senior White House official said, would be the “path of least resistance.”