BASHINGTON – With Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate, Vice President Kamala Harris has shortlisted a passionate advocate for public health care and abortion rights.
Harris chose Walz as her vice presidential running mate on Tuesday morning. The pair have less than 100 days until Election Day to rally voters for the new Democratic slate. Walz emerged as the favorite for the role based on his record in defending abortion access, gender-equitable care and the national Covid-19 response, among other things.
Walz implemented early Covid-19 shutdowns and social distancing measures, drawing criticism from state Republicans and then-President Trump, who tweeted “LIBERATE MINNESOTA!” in April 2020. State Republicans have since sued him over his early Covid-19 response, which included mask and vaccination requirements for government employees.
The second-term governor and 12-year House member is used to clashing with Republicans, despite being from a predominantly Republican district in eastern Minnesota. During his time in Congress, Walz voted to negotiate drug prices under the Medicare program and supported medical research into cannabis and expanding the Department of Veterans Affairs’ studies on the health effects of the poison Agent Orange.
According to campaign finance database OpenSecrets, healthcare professionals and groups were the largest donors to Walz’s campaign during his time in Congress. These 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 abortion and gender-affirming care as surrounding states implement restrictions. Walz signed a law in 2023 enshrining abortion rights in the state constitution; that same year, he issued two separate executive orders designed to protect traveling patients and doctors in Minnesota from penalties for abortion and gender-affirming care provided by other states.
On health care costs, Walz’s administration introduced transparency requirements for drug prices and pushed for legislation that capped insulin prices for patients in emergency situations. This year, Minnesota reached a deal with pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly that would cap all insulin prices in the state for at least five years.
Walz again championed drug cost-reduction efforts 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 quality health care affordable and accessible to Minnesotans,” he said in a statement.
How Walz caused controversy
However, Walz has also been criticized for his progressivism, which could make him more vulnerable to attacks from Republicans than more moderate candidates for vice president.
“Never shy away from our progressive values,” Walz said on July 29. “What is socialism for one person is charity for another.”
The comments, made during the Zoom campaign rally “White Dudes for Harris,” sparked rapid reactions from conservative pundits and think tanks.
The Harris campaign team announced that the “White Dudes” rally ultimately raised about $4 million.
Walz has launched a targeted campaign against the Trump-Vance team in recent weeks, calling them and other GOP leaders “just weird” at various events. The phrase spread on social media and among other Democrats, including Harris herself.
“You may have noticed that Donald Trump has resorted to some wild lies about my record. And some of the things he and his running mate are saying are just plain weird,” she said at an event in Atlanta last week.