WASHINGTON — With Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate, Vice President Kamala Harris has tapped a fiery advocate for public health and abortion rights.
Harris chose Walz as her vice presidential pick Tuesday morning. The pair have less than 100 days before Election Day to rally voters to the new Democratic ticket. Walz emerged as a frontrunner for the role in part due to his record of defending abortion access, gender-affirming care, and the national Covid-19 response.
Walz was early to instate Covid-19 shutdowns and social distancing policies, earning criticism from state Republicans and then-President Trump, who tweeted “LIBERATE MINNESOTA!” in April 2020. State Republicans have since sued over his early Covid-19 response, including mask mandates and vaccine requirements for government employees.
The second-term governor and 12-year veteran of the House of Representatives is used to battling with Republicans, despite originally hailing from a mostly red-leaning eastern Minnesota district. While in Congress, Walz voted for Medicare drug price negotiation and supported medical research of cannabis and to extend Veteran Affairs’ studies of the health effects of the toxin Agent Orange.
Health care professionals and groups were top contributors to Walz’ campaigns during his time in Congress, according to campaign finance database OpenSecrets. Those included the American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons; the American Health Care Association; and the American Optometric Association.
In recent years, Walz has positioned Minnesota as a Midwestern safe haven for access to abortions and gender-affirming care as surrounding states implement restrictions. Walz in 2023 signed a law codifying abortion rights in the state constitution; the same year, he issued two separate executive orders designed to shield traveling patients and Minnesota providers from abortion and gender-affirming care penalties issued by other states.
On health care costs, Walz’s administration implemented drug price transparency requirements and championed legislation that capped insulin prices for patients in emergency situations. This year, Minnesota reached a settlement with drugmaker Eli Lilly that would cap all its insulin prices in the state for at least five years.
Walz championed the drug costs efforts again last month. “From lowering prescription drug costs to helping Minnesotans access affordable health insurance, we are proud of the work we’ve done to make high-quality health care affordable and accessible for Minnesotans,” he said in a statement.
How Walz has courted controversy
However, Walz has also received some criticism for his progressivism that could make him more vulnerable to GOP attacks than more moderate names floated as VP choices.
“Don’t ever shy away from our progressive values,” Walz said on July 29. “One person’s socialism is another person’s neighborliness.”
The comments, which came during the “White Dudes for Harris” Zoom campaign event, earned quick backlash from conservative pundits and think tanks.
The Harris campaign said the “white dudes” rally ultimately raised roughly $4 million.
Walz in recent weeks has mounted a pointed campaign against the Trump-Vance ticket, labeling them and other GOP leaders “just weird” at various events. The phrase took off on social media and among other Democrats including Harris herself.
“You may have noticed, Donald Trump has been resorting to some wild lies about my record. And some of what he and his running mate are saying, well, it’s just plain weird,” she said at an Atlanta event last week.