Governor Tim Walz endorses Kamala Harris as vice presidential speculation mounts

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who endorsed Kamala Harris for the Democratic presidential nomination on Monday morning, is now on a list of names being mentioned as a possible vice presidential nominee alongside Kamala Harris.

Walz endorsed Harris for president in a message on X Monday morning, thanking her for her call and promising her his “full support.”

“Let’s win this thing,” he wrote.

While other candidates are considered more likely to run alongside Harris in crucial states, Walz’s growing national profile is prompting debate as the party scrambles to put together a unifying platform in preparation for the Democratic National Convention next month in Chicago.

Prominent Democrats in Minnesota and across the country quickly rallied behind Harris after Biden dropped out of the race on Sunday and endorsed her as his successor. While other Democrats could still challenge Harris as the nominee, the focus over the weekend quickly shifted to who she would choose as her running mate.

Democratic governors top the list of names most frequently mentioned by donors and pundits, including Josh Shapiro, the governor of Pennsylvania, a crucial battleground state, and Governors Andy Beshear of Kentucky and Roy Cooper of North Carolina, states that voted for Donald Trump but also sent Democrats to the governor’s office.

These candidates, along with Walz, would provide demographic and geographic balance to a ticket that includes Harris, a former California attorney general and senator.

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, California Governor Gavin Newsom, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and Arizona U.S. Senator Mark Kelly are also said to be in the mix.

Walz’s profile has risen nationally since becoming chairman of the Democratic Governors Association, a role that makes him the face of the fundraising and campaign efforts to help elect governors in 11 states this fall. As Biden’s campaign surrogate, he has also spent months on cable news shows and traveling across the country touting the president’s record.

Minnesota Rep. Betty McCollumn last week called for a break with Biden and endorsed a Harris-Walz candidate, saying she needs a “strong Midwestern running mate” this fall.

Walz is a veteran former educator who spent 12 years in Congress representing a conservative southern Minnesota district. During his time as governor, he has built a reputation as a more progressive Democrat. In 2023, he signed a historic number of Democratic priorities into law with a one-vote DFL majority in the legislature.

Several national analysts have pegged Minnesota’s vote as potentially more favorable to Republicans after Biden’s disastrous debate performance. Still, the state hasn’t voted for a Republican for president since 1972 and remains low-profile as a leading candidate for the party this fall.