Minnesota Gov. Walz reportedly among finalists for Harris' VP nomination

ROCHESTER, Minn. (KTTC) — Gov. Tim Walz (DFL-Minnesota) is one of two finalists to be Kamala Harris’ running mate in November. According to Reuters, the Minnesota governor and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro are among the two most likely to secure the nomination.

Waz received endorsements from prominent Democratic figures over the weekend, including Nancy Pelosi and Bernie Sanders. UAW President Shawn Fain, while voicing his support for Andy Beshear as a candidate, also said he would support Tim Walz.

“(Walz) knows the country, he knows what’s going on in the states, but he’s also someone who’s been in Washington for 12 years,” said Larry Jacobs, a political science professor at the University of Minnesota, “so he’s very capable of wielding power in Washington. He’ll hit the ground running, whereas some of the other gubernatorial candidates, like Josh Shapiro, will need time to get up to speed.”

Jacobs says Walz’s experience in different areas of government could make him an attractive choice, but he also believes there are some potential hurdles he would have to overcome with voters.

“Governor Walz is one of the most progressive governors in the country. He just signed a huge amount of legislation. He increased spending by over 40% and signed a law that now makes it legal in Minnesota for undocumented immigrants to get driver’s licenses,” Jacobs said, “so he’s kind of doubling down on the areas that Republicans are going to attack.”

Harris is expected to make a decision Tuesday night, as the current vice president is holding a campaign rally in Philadelphia. That event is scheduled to be the first of the year that Harris’ running mate is expected to attend.

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