Yesterday, Kamala Harris I chose my former colleague Her running mate will be Tim Walz.
“Before he became Minnesota’s popular governor, Walz flipped Republican districts. When I served as chairman of the Democratic House Campaign Committee, Walz was a frequent and reliable resource. I know firsthand how committed he has been to the Harris campaign as a campaign and governing partner.”
Walz has always been a hard worker. Behind the scenes, he is quiet, thoughtful, and always focused on serving his constituents. I was making a list of “drama-free” lawmakers — those who “operate quietly,” don’t take unnecessary breaks in front of the microphone, and get their legislative and political missions done. Tim Walz was on that list.
I once joked with Waltz that he was like a small-town high school football coach, and he replied, “Yeah, I was.” In fact, Waltz coached Mankato West High School. First state championship in 1999While other lawmakers basked in the spotlight in the stands, Walz put his all on the field.
But beneath his unassuming exterior, he demonstrated the ability to throw punches with his bare hands to further our agenda. 2006 Inspirational Health Care Ad As one famous interviewer put it, he wasn’t afraid to define others before they defined him. What made Waltz so effective in these press conferences was that he always stayed true to his roots as a former teacher, coach and military man.
Walz was instrumental in finding strong candidates in battleground states who could connect with voters on both the left and the right, and in an election that has become more polarized, Walz was one of the few lawmakers who knew how to speak to Americans of all ideological leanings.
Choosing a running mate is always a delicate balance: A presidential candidate needs someone they can trust to be a governing partner and lead the country when necessary, but they also need someone who can add new dimensions to the candidate’s electoral prospects, appeal to new segments of the electorate and embody the candidate’s values.
There has to be chemistry there, as we’ve seen on the Republican side (remember Trump? Promoting violence Harris, who met with Vice President Mike Pence during the storming of the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, also said chemistry isn’t necessarily a given. By contrast, Harris and Waltz are more likely to have a stable and productive working relationship.
Moreover, Waltz has an advantage few other Democratic politicians have: national security integrity. I have long argued that Democrats have lagged behind Republicans on these issues, but Waltz has a powerful rebuttal to Republican attacks. He Highest ranking non-commissioned officer As a House member and ranking member of the Veterans Affairs Committee, no one can doubt Walz’s commitment to keeping our nation safe.
Reports Harris seemed impressed with Waltz’s ability to effectively attack Trump, calling the Trump-Vance pairing “a very good combination.”strangeHe kicked off the news cycle waging war against MAGA without succumbing to the doom and gloom rhetoric that many voters are tired of.
Democrats tend to rely on their 42-point plan to appeal to voters’ rationality, but this was a one-word message that everyone instinctively felt was true. These snap instincts win elections.
Even many Republicans admit that J.D. Vance’s appearance was, well, odd. Most vice presidential candidates introduce themselves to the public with heartwarming stories about their families or touting their accomplishments in office. Vance inexplicably said, “I’m not a Republican. I …Cat woman with no children“and Mountain Dew EnthusiastIn contrast, Walz will soon be campaigning for Harris, focusing on issues close to home that matter to voters in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin.
After all, the importance of the vice presidential election tends to be overestimated. Many political scientists The choice, I conclude, will have only a marginal impact. But the vice presidential nominee has a moment of importance. Biden revived the Obama campaign of 2012, Impressive debate performance Paul Ryan to Dan Quayle by Lloyd BentsenThere is no Jack Kennedy.He first used the phrase “” in 1988.
While the selection of Walz would not dramatically change the dynamic of this tight race, it does position the Harris campaign for continued success by adding an experienced, authentic and charismatic candidate to the campaign.
The same can’t be said about Trump’s choice of Vance. To quote Lloyd Bentsen, “I know Tim Waltz. Tim Waltz is my friend. Tim Waltz is not J.D. Vance.”
Steve Israel represented New York in the U.S. House of Representatives for eight terms and served as Chairman of the Democratic House Campaign Committee from 2011 to 2015. Steve Israel.
