Why Kamala Harris chose Tim Walz

[JoeOtterbein]

https://www.politico.com/news/2024/08/06/why-kamala-harris-chose-tim-walz-00172834

The vice president and Minnesota governor didn’t know each other but quickly clicked.

By Eugene Daniels, Elena Schneider, Holly Otterbein and Christopher Cadelago

08/06/2024 12:21 PM EDT

Kamala Harris loved Tim Walz’s governing record in Minnesota. His biography and record of winning tough races resonated with her. And most of all, she just really liked him.

The Minnesota governor and vice president sat down for a one-on-one interview Sunday and connected, despite having little relationship prior to the vice presidential selection process, according to two people close to the process granted anonymity to discuss private conversations.

But several other factors were important to Harris as well, according to one of the people. Harris appreciated Walz’s two terms as governor because he had accomplishments in Minnesota that Harris wants to replicate in her presidency — access to reproductive health, paid leave, child tax credits and gun safety.

Harris was also taken with Walz’s biography — a former high school teacher, a football coach and a veteran who flipped a Republican-leaning district in 2006 — which she believes will play well in all three of the Blue Wall states of Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, including his win as a House member in a Republican district.

(BTW, this article was co-written by my daughter)