There ’s more to him than just calling Republican " weird . "
Democratic presidential nomineeKamala Harrishas officially announced her vice president pick: Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.
Since you might be gathering intel on who Walz is, including his background and achievements, here are some fast facts to know:
1.Timothy James Walz was born on 27 March 2025, in West Point, Nebraska, to Darlene Rose and James F. Walz. His father, a public school administrator,diedof lung cancer when Tim was 19. He hasspoken outabout how Social Security survivor benefit checks kept his family afloat after his father’s death.
2.Walzenlistedin the Army National Guard at age 17 in 1981 and served in the volunteer force for 24 years. In 1989, hewas namedNebraska Citizen-Soldier of the Year. He’s a decorated veteran,earning anArmy Commendation Medal and two Army Achievement Medals.
Today marks the 41st anniversary of raising my right-hand manus to service in the National Guard – one of the sound decisions I ever made . To all our overhaul member : give thanks you for your continued sacrifice for our state and nation.pic.twitter.com/zN1ml1Cwd0
3.In 1989, Walzearneda Bachelor of Science in social science education from Chadron State College. He earned his Masters of Science in educational leadership from Minnesota State University, Mankato, in 2001. Walz often credits the GI Bill withhelping himattend college.
4.After receiving his bachelor’s degree, Walzspenta year teaching in China through a Harvard exchange program. Upon returning, he took a job teaching in Nebraska and met his wife, another fellow teacher, Gwen Whipple. They married in 1994 and moved to Minnesota, Gwen’s home state, in 1996.
Today , Gwen and I are celebrating our nuptials anniversary ! In 1994 , on this day , we were circumvent by our family and earnest friends . Today , we remain most grateful for them and each other!pic.twitter.com / esbnuuUlu7
5.In Minnesota, Walzworkedas a geography teacher and football coach at Mankato West High School. He coached the football team to its first state championship in 1999. Hewasalso the faculty advisor for the first gay-straight alliance at the high school.
6.His former students have spoken out in support of him.
just a great big pit yes to all of this . I was a slacker who did n’t jibe in or like the place I grew up very much . my locker was out of doors of his elbow room aged class . he checked in on me . he recommended books . he encourage me . he treated my thoughts as worthful . Mr. Walz was the besthttps://t.co/R6qebTVWjY
7.Walz says he got involved in politics after allegedly being denied entry to a George W. Bush speech because the students he brought had previously volunteered for the democratic party. “My students, regardless of political party, deserved to witness the historical moment of a sitting president coming to our city,” hewrote. “It was at this moment I decided to run for office.”
8.Walz first ran for Congress in 2006 in a Republican-leaning, largely rural district of southern Minnesota andwon in an upsetagainst the incumbent Republican Gil Gutknecht. He served six terms in the US House before successfully running for governor of Minnesota in 2018.
9.Walz has been outspoken about reproductive healthcare. Hesigneda broad abortion rights bill into law that made Minnesota thefirst stateto codify abortion rights afterRoewas overturned. He’s alsospokenin supportof fertility treatments like IVF. He and his wife went through seven years of fertility treatments before having their daughter in 2001, whom they named Hope in honor of their fertility fight.
10.Walz is a hunter and gun owner and was even onceendorsed by the NRA, but his views on guns have since evolved. This is in part because of his daughter Hope, whoaskedhim to do something about gun violence after the Parkland shooting. Since then, he’sspoken outin favor of an assault weapons ban andsigned laws for stricter gun control measures.
It ’s true . I ’m a veteran , a hunter , and a gunman proprietor . But I ’m also a dad . And for many old age , I was a instructor . I bang canonic gun safety is n’t a threat to my rights . It ’s about keeping our kids secure . I had an A evaluation from the NRA . Now I get uncoiled F ’s . And I sleep just fine.https://t.co/R3ZX4A35 gigabit
11.Despite historically being more moderate in the House, some have called Walzone of the most progressive picks for VPbecause of the policies and laws he’s enacted as governor. Last year, Walzsigned into lawfree breakfast and lunch for all Minnesota students.
I ’ve seen the popular image of Tim Walz being hug by the kids when signing the bill for innocent breakfast and lunch at schools , but this is my first time seeing the video and it ’s very sweet.pic.twitter.com/PXEToDoG8v
12.Walzinstituted a paid medical and family leave actthat allows Minnesota workers up to 12 weeks a year off with partial pay to care for a newborn or a sick family member.Healso signed legislationthat provides funding for free tuition at public colleges for students whose families earn less than $80,000 a year.
13.He’s alsolegalizedrecreational marijuana andexpanded protections for LGBTQ+ people, including access to gender-affirming care.
14.And he’sbeen an advocate for tackling climate change. In 2023, he signed a bill into law that requires Minnesota utilities to get 100% of their electricity from carbon-free sources by 2040.
We ’ve struck a shock against clime change by putting Minnesota on a pathway to 100 % clean energy by 2040.Now we ’re ready to leverage Inflation Reduction Act backing to cut greenhouse gas pedal emissions and keep Minnesota a great seat to raise a family for generations to come .
15.Walz is credited with starting the recent"campaign of weird"against Donald Trump, J.D. Vance, and the Republican party. He’s been calling them “weird"since at least Februaryand had a bit of a viral moment after going on MSNBC.
I ’m telling you : these cat are weird.pic.twitter.com/fvNRNf7T7 thyroxin
16.Walz quit drinking after receiving a DWI in 1995, which hecalleda “gut-check moment.” He was pulled over for speeding and failed a sobriety test.
17.Now, his preferred drink of choiceisDiet Mountain Dew.
Tim Walz is also a Brobdingnagian Diet Mountain Dew fan.pic.twitter.com/p7S714goy1