Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris has reportedly selected Minnesota governor Tim Walz as her running mate, according to US news outlets.
Walz recently garnered attention after his viral comments labeling MAGA Republicans as ‘weird’.
The announcement was highly anticipated, occurring just one day after Harris was officially confirmed as the Democratic Presidential nominee following a virtual roll call by party delegates.
Harris is planning to formally introduce Walz as her Vice Presidential running mate at a rally in Pennsylvania today.
The duo is then set to tour key battleground states in the upcoming election, with scheduled stops in Michigan, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Nevada, Arizona, and Georgia.
Walz is currently serving his second term as the governor of Minnesota and chairs the Democratic Governors Association.
Before this role, he served in Congress for 12 years representing a predominantly Republican rural district.
Walz strongly defended President Joe Biden after the first presidential debate against Republican nominee Donald Trump.
However, after Biden announced his withdrawal from the presidential race, Walz endorsed Harris for the Democratic nomination the next day.
His nomination follows a well-received attack on MAGA Republicans, where he described Donald Trump and his vice presidential running mate JD Vance as ‘weird dudes’.
At a recent Democratic fundraiser, White Dudes for Harris, Walz appeared to make his case for the vice presidential nomination.
He stated: “How often in 100 days do you get to change the trajectory of the world? How often in 100 days do you get to do something that’s going to impact generations to come?
“And how often in the world do you make that b*stard wake up afterwards and know that a Black woman kicked his a**, sent him on the road?”
Walz has highlighted his record, which includes initiatives like tuition-free meals at state universities, protecting gender-affirming care, and enshrining the right to abortion in Minnesota law.
Discussing his accomplishments, he said: “What a monster! Kids are eating and having full bellies so they can go learn. Women are making their own healthcare decisions. And we’re a top five business state and we also rank in the top three of happiness.”
In the past, Walz held more conservative views on gun rights, earning him an endorsement from the National Rifle Association, which was later withdrawn after he supported gun safety measures as governor.
Before his political career, Walz worked as a high school teacher and football coach and served in the Army National Guard.
Republicans have reacted strongly to the announcement, with former Trump senior advisor Kellyanne Conway tweeting: “Tim Walz? What a relief.”
Meanwhile, Democratic strategist Raghu Devaguptapu described Walz to CNN as a ‘real steady hand’ as governor.