Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris and running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz arrive at a campaign rally in Romulus, Mich., on Aug. 7.Carlos Osorio/The Associated Press
There was a moment during Tim Walz’s first public speech since being named the Democratic nominee for vice-president when his running mate and potential future boss, Kamala Harris, appeared like she couldn’t quite believe her luck.
A month ago, many people outside Minnesota had never heard of Mr. Walz. He was on few people’s radars to be Ms. Harris’s running mate. But then a quiet buzz began to occur, and his down-home style and homespun witticisms suddenly seemed the perfect antidote to our times.
When he labelled former president Donald Trump and his running mate J.D. Vance as just plain “weird,” it caught on. Because indeed, that’s how they often seemed and acted. It was so simple, yet appropriate.
But in his first big public speech as the Democrats’ vice-presidential nominee, Mr. Walz, the Governor of Minnesota, drove home just how relatable (even self-deprecating) he is. And just what a nightmare he’s going to be for the Republicans.
“Some of you here are old enough to remember [he motions to his balding head] – I see you down there [he points at someone also losing his hair],” Mr. Walz said to a large rally this week in Philadelphia. “I see those old white guys.”
Mr. Walz may look older than his 60 years, as some have said, but he’s owning it.
“Some of us are old enough to remember when it was the Republicans who were talking about freedom. It turns out now what they meant was the government should be free to invade your doctor’s office,” he continued. “In Minnesota, we respect our neighbours and the personal choices that they make. Even if we wouldn’t make the same choice for ourselves, there’s a golden rule: Mind your own damn business.”
The place exploded.
You could see a broad smile spread across Ms. Harris’s face. She was clapping but inside you can bet she was thinking: This guy is going to help me win the presidency.
He is quickly becoming a key asset for the Democrats.
At a time when many Americans have become deeply suspicious if not downright cynical about those politicians who run their country, along comes Tim Walz. Yes, there are many who will never vote Democrat regardless of who the national ticket is. They’d even vote for someone as incorrigible as Mr. Trump, with all his many deficiencies and flaws, before they’d vote Democrat. For many, supporting Mr. Trump is something closer to a religious belief than a logical decision.
But there are plenty of Americans stuck in the middle who aren’t Democrat or Republican by birth and who will vote for whoever makes the most sense to them. These people might have voted for John McCain in 2008 if not for the phenomenon that was Barack Obama. For them, Joe Biden was a non-starter. Ms. Harris, despite her own deficiencies, was an improvement. And now, Mr. Walz has dramatically upgraded the appeal of the Democratic ticket further.
The Republicans will do their best to sully his resumé. There are already stories about his DUI from decades ago, an incident he deeply regrets. But he’s still not the convicted felon Mr. Trump is. In researching Mr. Walz, one particular piece of information shocked me – his modest financial situation.
Mr. Walz and his wife Gwen do not own a single stock, per his tax filings. No mutual funds, no bonds. They don’t even own any real estate. When the couple moved into the Governor’s Mansion in St. Paul in 2019, they sold their modest home for under the US$315,000 asking price. He is about as far away from a Donald Trump as they come. Owning stock, of course, doesn’t make you a villain. But not owning any could probably make you more relatable to a broad swath of the American public.
The Governor grew up in Nebraska before later moving as an adult to Minnesota. His Midwestern values shine through. His resumé will be talked about throughout what’s left of the presidential campaign: army reservist, school teacher, football coach. It almost doesn’t get more American than that.
His Midwestern charm will be an asset in key battleground states like Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Georgia and Arizona. Images of Mr. Walz in camouflage with a hunting rifle are ones that many Americans can relate to; someone like them. And there hasn’t been a presidential or vice-presidential candidate who could pull that off in a long time.
Ms. Harris had a bevy of strong choices when it came to her running mate. But she chose the person who most made her feel comfortable. She’s betting there are a lot of voters who are going to feel the same way.