Kamala Harris asked Tim Walz in a phone call to support her in her campaign for the White House.
US Vice President Kamala Harris has named Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate – a decision that came as a surprise to many.
Since Harris had only 16 days to select her potential running mate, she chose Walz, who was not listed on the initial lists of possible running mate candidates.
In a telephone conversation with him, Harris asked Walz to support her in her campaign for the White House.
“Listen, I want you to do this with me,” the Democratic candidate told the governor. “Would you be my running mate?” she can be heard asking Walz in a video on her Instagram account.
Tim Walz responded that it would be an “honor” to join the list.
“The joy you bring back to the country, the enthusiasm that exists there, it will be a privilege to carry this throughout the country,” he said.
Walz, 60, is an Army National Guard veteran and former high school social studies teacher and football coach. He was elected to Congress in 2006 and won six terms representing a rural part of Minnesota that typically leans conservative.
Harris praised Walz for his dedication and service to the nation. “You understand our country, you have dedicated yourself to our country in so many different and wonderful ways,” she said. “I just have the utmost respect for you.”
At the end of their phone call, Harris emphasized their shared vision: “We will do it, we will win, we will unite our country and remind everyone that we are fighting for the future.”
“Let’s do it. Let’s win it,” Walz repeated.
Walz gained popularity online with his folksy mannerisms and viral comments calling Republican candidate Donald Trump and his running mate, Ohio Senator JD Vance, “weird.” His unconventional style, which included using Diet Mountain Dew for his campaign, made him a historic choice.
Shortly after the official announcement, the Democratic presidential candidate and her vice presidential nominee made their first campaign stop in Philadelphia on Tuesday. The Democratic duo faced a packed house at Temple University, and the thousands of people were thrilled as the two took the stage together.
Harris’s choice of Walz as her running mate has been a fundraising boon for the Democratic presidential nomination, raising more than $20 million since the announcement.
