It's official: Kamala Harris has announced that her running mate for her 2024 presidential campaign is Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.
It has been a whirlwind few weeks for the vice president, who became the presumptive Democratic Party nominee less than three weeks ago after President Joe Biden decided to drop out of the race, following pressure from his party and supporters alike.
Harris subsequently jumped into campaigning with only 100 days to go before Election Day, as of July 28, and moreover, had to go through a significantly truncated search for a running mate, a vetting process that typically takes well over a month to go through
Though other names such as Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, Arizona Senator Mark Kelly, and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro had been floated around as strong options, Walz, 60, became increasingly popular in the last two weeks both for his varied resumé, wholesome and unifying personality, progressive values, and more recently, for coining a new dig at far-right Republicans: calling them "weird."
Below, catch up on everything to know about the candidate, from his small town background, sweet love story with his wife, and more.
© GettyThe Minnesota governor met his wife when they were both teachers
Walz, who is originally from West Point, Nebraska, graduated from Chadron State College, and later became a teacher and coach at a school in Alliance, Nebraska, where he met his wife, fellow teacher Gwen Walz (née Whipple).
They tied the knot in 1994, and two years later moved to Gwen's home state of Minnesota, specifically Mankato, where Walz again became a teacher and coach at Mankato West High School. During his time at the school, he led the football team to its first state championship, and was a faculty advisor for the school's first gay-straight alliance in 1999.
© InstagramThe couple lived in Mankato until 2018, when Walz became governor and subsequently moved to Saint Paul, Minnesota's capital. Gwen, who in addition to her role as an educator is also an advocate for prison reform and bringing educational programs to incarcerated people, has always been supportive of her husband's career, and he knows it. When Walz won the gubernatorial race in 2018 — he was reelected in 2022 — he wrote on Facebook: "To my wife Gwen — Minnesota's next First Lady — how can I ever thank you enough?" adding: "I'm grateful to you for keeping it all together for us and walking with me on this journey. I love you."
© GettyThey are proud parents of two kids
Seven years after they got married, and after a challenging journey with IVF, the couple welcomed their first child, daughter Hope, in 2001, followed by son Gus in 2006. Though he tends to keep his kids out of the spotlight, they have publicly supported him throughout his political career.
© GettyLast month, in light of the Republican Party's mounting challenges against reproductive rights, including his opponent J.D. Vance's vote against protecting IVF, Walz wrote on X: "Even if you've never gone through the hell of infertility, someone you know has. When Gwen and I were having trouble getting pregnant, the anxiety and frustration blotted out the sun. J.D. Vance opposing the miracle of IVF is a direct attack on my family and so many others."
© InstagramWalz lost his brother in a tragic freak accident
In June 2016, Walz's younger brother Craig Walz, who was also a teacher, died aged 43 while camping with his then-eight-year-old son Jacob, who was critically injured, after a tree fell where they were situated during a severe storm.
He is survived by his wife Julie Slominski, who he met on their first day of teacher orientation in Adams, Nebraska, and their children, Jacob and Avery.
