7 August: American voters and the global community are set to learn more about Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who has been selected by U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris as her vice-presidential running mate. This decision concludes a swift search for a VP candidate as the race for the White House intensifies.
Walz, 60, emerged as a prominent spokesperson for Democrats, presenting liberal policies in a practical manner likely to resonate with Midwestern voters, whose support is crucial for Harris’s presidential bid. He gained attention for being the first to describe Republican candidates Donald Trump and JD Vance as “weird,” a term that has gained traction within the Harris campaign and among Democrats.
“He’s a pretty safe choice,” remarked Matthew Lebo, a political science professor at Western University. “He’s very down to earth and can explain liberal values and government priorities in a way that emphasizes the social safety net and helping people build their lives, rather than just focusing on taxation.”
Walz’s state, Minnesota, shares an 885-kilometer border with Canada and has a trade economy valued at billions of dollars annually.
Walz’s Background
Born in West Point, Nebraska, a small community northwest of Omaha, Walz served in the Army National Guard and worked as a teacher in Nebraska. He moved to Mankato, Minnesota, in the 1990s with his wife Gwen, continuing his teaching career and coaching high school football.
Walz served 24 years in the Army National Guard, retiring in 2005 as a command sergeant major, one of the highest enlisted ranks. He entered politics in 2006 by defeating six-term Republican incumbent Gil Gutknecht for a seat in the U.S. Congress, demonstrating his ability to connect with conservative voters and capitalizing on discontent with then-president George W. Bush and the Iraq War.
During his six terms in the House of Representatives, Walz became known as an advocate for veterans, earning praise for fostering bipartisan consensus on veterans’ health and education benefits during Trump’s divisive term.
In 2018, Walz successfully ran for the Minnesota governorship, promoting Democratic values like union organizing, workers’ rights, and a higher minimum wage in ways that appealed to rural middle-class voters, who often vote Republican.
“He expresses liberalism in a very Canadian way,” Lebo observed. “He’s a hunter who understands the need for gun laws and supports a broad social safety net.”
Impact on Canada
As governor, Walz has worked to strengthen economic ties with Canada, Minnesota’s largest trading partner. Last year, total bilateral trade was valued at US$21 billion, with exports to Canada worth US$7 billion, making Canada the largest buyer in Minnesota’s $25 billion export portfolio. These exports include energy, agricultural goods, and manufactured products, such as snowmobiles and natural resources, highlighting the state’s deep economic connections with Canada.
