By Andrew Stanton
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Former President Donald Trump's campaign reacted to Vice President Kamala Harris reportedly picking Tim Walz as her running mate in the presidential election, calling the Minnesota governor "a dangerously liberal extremist."
Walz was announced as Harris' reported choice to join her presidential ticket on Tuesday ahead of a rally in Philadelphia. Pennsylvania is a crucial swing state that could determine whether Harris or Trump win in November.
Democrats are hoping Walz can drive turnout among the Democratic base. His supporters touted his record of accomplishing progressive goals in Minnesota, despite a razor-thin Democratic majority—as well as his success in a midwestern state—as reasons why he would make a strong vice president.
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The Trump campaign reacted to the news in a statement.
"It's no surprise that San Francisco Liberal Kamala Harris wants West Coast wannabe Tim Walz as her running-mate – Walz has spent his governorship trying to reshape Minnesota in the image of the Golden State," the statement reads. "While Walz pretends to support Americans in the Heartland, when the cameras are off, he believes that rural America is 'mostly cows and rocks.'"
The statement continued, "From proposing his own carbon-free agenda, to suggesting stricter emission standards for gas-powered cars, and embracing policies to allow convicted felons to vote, Walz is obsessed with spreading California's dangerously liberal agenda far and wide. If Walz won't tell voters the truth, we will: just like Kamala Harris, Tim Walz is a dangerously liberal extremist, and the Harris-Walz California dream is every American's nightmare."
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Walz, 60, had been seen as a bit of a dark horse in the VP race but garnered national attention after calling Ohio Senator JD Vance, the Republican vice presidential nominee, "weird," a line of attack that Democrats are embracing.
Democrats have also praised his record as governor, which saw him sign into law policies such as free school meals for children, paid family and medical leave, and an expansion of the child tax credit.
Before he was first elected governor in 2018, Walz served in Congress, representing Minnesota's 1st Congressional District, a rural district spanning the southernmost areas of the state. He narrowly won the district in 2016, even as Trump won it by double digits at the presidential level.
Democrats are hoping his success in Minnesota will allow him to connect with voters in more competitive Midwestern and Rust Belt states like Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
However, some Republicans have already begun attacking Walz as among the more progressive choices Harris could have picked—and Minnesota is not viewed as particularly competitive, meaning he won't give Harris a home state boost in a key swing state. A Republican presidential candidate hasn't won the state of Minnesota since 1972.
Harris considered several other Democrats for the position, including Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Arizona Senator Mark Kelly, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro.
It remains unclear when or if Walz will debate Ohio Senator JD Vance, Trump's running mate.
Polls currently show Harris and Trump locked in a close race in November. A Morning Consult poll conducted among 11,265 registered voters from August 2 to August 4 found Harris with a 4-point lead over Trump (48 percent to 44 percent).
Harris became the Democratic presidential nominee after Biden withdrew from the race in July, following pressure from Democrats concerned about his ability to win in November.
These concerns grew after his June debate performance against Trump, in which he stumbled through several answers and did little to dispel concerns about his age. Polls showed him trailing key battleground states.
While Harris' polling was similar to, or worse than, that of Biden prior to his exit, she has seen polls shift in her direction since becoming the nominee. She has built renewed enthusiasm among Democrats, leading to record fundraising.
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