He's Rural. He's Progressive. He's Minnesota Nice.
Kamala Harris picks Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as Vice Presidential Candidate for the Democrats.
Photo: Tim Walz on Facebook
Vice President Kamala Harris selected Minnesota Governor Tim Walz yesterday as her running mate in the November Presidential election. Walz grew up in the Sandhills of rural Nebraska, has served two terms as Minnesota Governor, represented rural Southern Minnesota for six terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, served in the Minnesota National Guard for decades, and was a public school teacher and state champion high school football coach for twenty years before becoming an elected official.
In addition to his resume and rural upbringing, Walz has significant experience in delivering numerous policy victories for rural people and rural places.
Walz is a Farm Bill Expert. As a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Walz helped to write the 2008, 2014, and 2018 Farm Bills. He was a top Democrat on the House Agriculture Committee’s work on USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture) conservation and energy programs. Walz’s experience could be valuable in negotiating Farm Bill re-authorization, which is currently pending in Congress.
Walz has a history of working closely with grassroots groups who support farm and food system reform. When Walz was announced as the Democrats’ Vice Presidential choice, Minnesota’s Land Stewardship Action issued a statement explaining their close relationship with Walz. “Land Stewardship Action (LSA) supports seeing Walz’s record on farm, food systems and rural issues brought to national attention.” This record includes key funding for conservation programs, beginning farmers, and local food systems both as a member of Congress and Governor.
Walz has championed Indigenous Rights and Tribal Sovereignty. As Governor of Minnesota, Walz and his Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan (member of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe) have been champions for Native American rights and Tribal sovereignty. Walz and Flanagan issued Executive Order 19-24, affirming the government-to-government relationship between the State of Minnesota and Minnesota’s eleven tribes.
Walz is a Union Candidate. Walz has received significant support over the years from Labor Unions. As Governor, Walz led Minnesota Democrats in outlawing non-compete agreements that can prohibit workers from switching jobs within the same industry, barred employers from penalizing workers who boycott anti-union meetings, increased the effective minimum wage for employees of small businesses, and created a paid leave program. Walz is a former union member, and he joined a United Auto Workers picket line last year during their contract dispute. Labor organizing is a key to increasing pay, benefits, and workplace safety in rural America.
Walz is committed to climate action. Walz has led Minnesota in adopting some significant climate policies, including a law he signed in 2023 that requires the state to generate all of its electricity from renewable sources by 2040. Additionally, Inside Climate News reported that “his administration adopted stricter vehicle emissions standards for the state and he signed into law several permitting reform provisions that supporters say will allow the state to build out clean energy far more quickly.”
The Harris-Walz ticket is generating buzz and excitement among rural Democrats. Just take a look at the “Rural American for Harris” call convened last night.
The Cocklebur covers rural policy and politics from a progressive point-of-view. Our work focuses on a tangled rural political reality of dishonest debate, economic and racial disparities, corporate power over our democracy, and disinformation peddled by conservative media outlets. We aim to use facts, data, and science to inform our point-of-view. We wear our complicated love/WTF relationship with rural America on our sleeve.