Politics Elections Kamala Harris Chooses Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as Her Running Mate: What to Know About the Underdog VP Pick Walz, 60, is a former congressman, teacher and national guardsman whose headline-generating media appearances launched him to the top of Harris’ list By Kyler Alvord Kyler Alvord Kyler Alvord is a news editor at PEOPLE, leading the brand's political coverage. He joined the publication on the crime beat. People Editorial Guidelines Updated on August 6, 2024 11:59AM EDT Kamala Harris chose Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz to be her 2024 running mate on Tuesday, Aug. 6, rounding out the new Democratic White House ticket. "One of the things that stood out to me about Tim is how his convictions on fighting for middle class families run deep. It's personal," Harris said in a statement explaining her decision. "We are going to build a great partnership. We start out as underdogs but I believe together, we can win this election." Walz, 60, joined a rumored shortlist of vice presidential picks even before President Joe Biden withdrew from the race, as Democratic power brokers pondered what a strong, alternate ticket might look like. Other VP potentials who caught Harris' eye included Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. Walz was initially the dark horse in the group, but his recent headline-generating media circuit positioned him a serious contender. Tim Walz: 5 Viral Moments That Took Him from Unknown to VP Pick in a Matter of Days Harris had final interviews with her top running mate choices in Washington, D.C., on Sunday and reportedly narrowed her options to Walz and Shapiro. According to multiple outlets, she slept on the decision after the in-person interviews and was getting the pieces into place for a Walz announcement by Monday evening. As the new presumptive vice presidential nominee, Walz will immediately hit the campaign trail with Harris for a five-day tour of seven battleground states, beginning with a stop in Philadelphia on Tuesday evening. Gov. Tim Walz watches Vice President Kamala Harris speak at the St. Paul Planned Parenthood on March 14, 2024. Glen Stubbe/Star Tribune via Getty Walz is a former teacher, national guardsman and high school football coach who turned to politics in 2006 when he successfully ran for U.S. Congress as a Democrat in a historically Republican district. After 12 years in the House, during which he became a senior member of the Veterans' Affairs Committee, Walz soundly won the 2018 Minnesota gubernatorial race. Since his reelection, the governor has adopted a platform that aligns with a significant portion of the Biden-Harris administration. He's signed legislation into law that protected Minnesotans' access to abortion, legalized marijuana and addressed calls for police reform. A father of two, he has been open about his family's experience with IVF. Tim Walz greets Kamala Harris upon her arrival in St. Paul, Minn., on March 14, 2024. STEPHEN MATUREN/AFP via Getty Though Walz was once given an "A" rating by the NRA, he shifted his views on the organization after a series of mass shootings. Following the Las Vegas concert shooting in 2017, he donated the amount of all the money he'd received from the NRA to an organization that supports families of fallen soldiers. After the Parkland, Fla., school shooting in 2018, he wrote a Star Tribune op-ed about his evolving mindset. He has since helped shepherd gun safety legislation in Minnesota. Walz stands out as an experienced politician with surprising Gen Z appeal who could help Harris better speak to Midwest voters in the quest to lock down 270 Electoral College votes. Already on the campaign trail, he helped the Harris campaign find its voice by branding far-right Republican policies as "weird" — a term that immediately stuck — and in recent media appearances, he's been able to articulate a sharp ideological divide between J.D. Vance and rural Americans. J.D. Vance Isn't the Bridge-Building VP That Moderates Wanted: What He's Said About Women, Voting and Project 2025 Joe Biden and Kamala Harris attend a Philadelphia campaign rally on May 29, 2024. Andrew Harnik/Getty Biden, 81, made the last-minute decision on July 21 to abandon his reelection campaign amid mounting pressure from Democrats, who feared that he was not a strong enough candidate to defeat Donald Trump after seeing his performance in the first presidential debate. The president promptly endorsed Harris to replace him on the ticket, creating a rapid trickle effect of Democratic lawmakers and delegates who determined that the most unifying path forward was to stand with Harris. Kamala Harris Raises Record $81 Million in First 24 Hours as Presidential Candidate Though other candidates could have jumped in and challenged Harris for the nomination, no major players decided to, clearing the way for Harris to become the Democratic nominee. "Over the past year, I have traveled across the country, talking with Americans about the clear choice in this momentous election. And that is what I will continue to do in the days and weeks ahead," Harris said after entering the presidential race. "I will do everything in my power to unite the Democratic Party — and unite our nation — to defeat Donald Trump and his extreme Project 2025 agenda."