Fellow Minnesota Democrats Push for Gov. Tim Walz as Kamala Harris VP

Vice President Kamala Harris’s choice for running mate could happen as early as next week, and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is reportedly in the mix as he makes the national media rounds in what appears to be an audition.

As the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee finalizes her choice, Minnesota’s four U.S. House Democrats, both progressives and moderates, have united behind Walz as their top pick, citing his past experience in Congress, his military experience and his time as Minnesota’s governor as key selling points.

Minnesota’s two Senate Democrats — Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith — don’t go quite that far. They praise Walz but stop short of endorsing him.

“I think (Harris) would do well to select Tim Walz, a man with both legislative and executive experience, of course as a congressman and governor of Minnesota,” said Rep. Dean Phillips, who represents the western suburbs of Hennepin County. “Someone who comes a little bit from the heart of the country, who understands rural America and is folksy, authentic, tough and smart. And I would love for her to make that choice.”

Rep. Angie Craig, a moderate Democrat and The first openly LGBTQ person ever elected to the U.S. House from Minnesota, Craig said she has long respected Walz for his support of gay marriage, years before many other leading Democrats. She also cited his success in voting in larger Minnesota and smaller communities that Democrats have struggled to reach in recent years. Craig said she thinks Walz could help Harris resonate with base and swing voters in November.

“I know he can help that ticket win in places that are purple and pink,” Craig said — political shorthand for regions that lie on the spectrum between “blue” Democratic areas and “red” Republican areas. That describes Craig’s Second Congressional District, which includes suburban, exurban and rural areas southeast of the Twin Cities.

Walz ousted former GOP Rep. Gil Gutknecht in 2006 and represented southern Minnesota’s First District in Congress for six terms, claiming a moderate’s mantle during that time. Walz ran for governor in 2018, and the seat is now held by a Republican again.

As governor, Walz has won a series of progressive victories as the de facto leader of a Democratic Party that controls the governor’s office and both houses of the Legislature. The progressive agenda of the era is now being pushed around as Democrats debate Harris’ VP pick.

Under Walz’s administration, Minnesota has become a “sanctuary city” for abortion protections and gender-affirming care, restored voting rights to more than 55,000 former Minnesota inmates, and expanded paid family and medical leave and worker protections.

This week, Rep. Pramila Jayapal of Washington, chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, said Walz is her pick for vice president. Jayapal said she appreciates “the things he’s been able to do,” that he comes from a “small-town” background and has a military background. When asked about another potential vice presidential candidate, Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona, Jayapal said she doesn’t see “how you can hire someone who doesn’t have a strong pro-labor record.”

Minnesota Rep. Betty McCollum, another progressive, was the first Democrat in the delegation to say Walz should be Harris’ running mate. Rep. Ilhan Omar, the vice chair of the Progressive Caucus, also said Walz is her top choice.

“I believe Governor Tim Walz has all the qualities that the vice president needs to balance the ticket. He is a veteran, a member of the teachers union and clearly someone who would be exciting in many ways,” Omar said.

From the Senate, Klobuchar praised Walz when asked who she would like to see as Harris’ vice presidential nominee and whether Walz was her first choice.

“Tim Walz would be a great vice president,” the senior senator, who said last week she was not interested in the vice position, said through a spokesperson. Klobuchar declined to comment further.

Smith also praised Walz, but said she will leave it up to Harris to make her own decision.

“The vice president has a very important decision to make and I’m sure she’ll make the very best decision,” Smith said. “I don’t have a favorite or a choice. I obviously have a lot of respect for Governor Walz, I think he would be an excellent choice. One of the advantages we have in our party right now is that we have a very deep bench of leaders who are ready and able to be vice president.”