Vice President Kamala Harris chose Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate Tuesday. The decision comes just hours before Harris’ rally in Philadelphia.
According to the Associated Press, Walz is a longtime politician, and democrats hope he will keep the party’s newfound momentum alive headed toward election day. Walz is a former U.S. army officer and public educator who supports abortion rights and social welfare programs.
During Walz’s time in the Minnesota governor’s office, he introduced tax credits for families to reduce child poverty and added free school breakfasts and lunches for all students, according to the AP. The Walz office also created a paid family and medical leave program, legalized recreational marijuana and made it easier to vote.
The ticket will spend the next five days touring vital battleground states. According to the AP, the pair will visit Eau Claire, Wisconsin, and Detroit, Michigan on Wednesday. Later in the week, the ticket is going to Phoenix, Arizona, and Las Vegas, Nevada.
Stops in Savannah, Georgia, and Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, are postponed due to Tropical Storm Debby.
