Speaking at the Democratic National Convention on Wednesday (August 21) evening, the Minnesota governor pledged to help his running mate Kamala Harris become the first female president of the US.
He told the Chicago crowd: “It’s the fourth quarter. We’re going down the field, but we’re attacking and getting the ball. We’re driving down the field, and boy do we have the right team. Kamala Harris is tough, Kamala Harris is experienced, and Kamala Harris is ready.
Mr. Walz used his DNC speech to introduce himself and criticize his opponent JD Vance.
Here’s what you need to know about Mr. Walz and where he stands on all the major issues ahead of the US election in November.
If Kamala Harris wins the November 2024 election against Donald Trump, Mr. Walz will be America’s vice president in the new year.
AP
Mr. Walz was born in Nebraska on April 6, 1964, and grew up in a rural town called West Point near the South Dakota border.
He taught in China as a youth before returning to the US, where he taught and coached American football at Alliance High School in Nebraska.
Mr. Walz then helped Mankato West High School in Minnesota win its first American state football championship in 1999.
As an educator, Mr. Walz supports LGBTQ+ students and is said to be a popular figure in the Minnesota education system.
In addition to being a teacher, Mr. Walz enlisted in the Army National Guard – a volunteer role he continued for nearly three decades.
While supporting the military, Mr. Walz was sent to a natural disaster zone and reportedly Italy, supporting the US-Afghanistan operation.
Mr. Walz began his political career in 2006 after being elected to the House of Representatives, defeating Republican incumbent Gil Gutknecht.
He was elected several times before becoming governor of Minnesota in 2018, a role he has held ever since.
Mr. Walz is a father of two and initially a moderate Democratic candidate. However, the take on various policies has apparently shifted to the left in recent years.
How do you pronounce ‘Walz’?
It’s not like dancing or like watching paint dry.
According to Google, it’s called “wolts” – and it’s English, not Germanic, with a “w” sound.
Here he stands on the main policy.
Tim Walz began his political career in 2006 after being elected to the House of Representatives, defeating Republican Gil Gutknecht.
Getty Images
Mr. Walz shares a progressive position on environmental policy and supports clean electricity legislation and efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in his state.
He previously agreed that climate change is an “existential threat,” with many climate groups praising Mr. Walz’s VP choice because of his environmental position.
Business Insider says the country will pass more than 40 climate initiatives by 2023.
At a time when the reality of climate change is impossible to ignore, Mr. Walz seems determined to act for the good of the environment.
“I have to tell you, when I hear people say ‘You’re moving too fast’ – we can’t move too fast when it comes to climate change,” he said in 2023. “This idea of waiting is a luxury we don’t have, and Minnesotans don’t have .
This is something that has angered Republicans. “They will stamp Kamala’s GREEN NEW SCAM and burn TRILLIONS of dollars,” Mr Trump said in a social media post.
In 2023, Mr. Walz signed a law protecting the right to abortion for people in Minnesota. She has also visited Planned Parenthood clinics and has long shown support for reproductive rights and sexual health.
“By choosing Gov. Walz as his running mate, Vice President Harris has put forward the most pro-reproductive liberty ticket in history,” said Alexis McGill Johnson, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Action Fund.
America’s longest running civil rights organization, the National Rifle Association (NRA) The NRA has endorsed Mr. Walz before.
He has reportedly called himself “one of the best shots in Congress”.
However, he has since distanced himself from the controversial gun lobby group and now supports stricter gun control to keep America safe.
“I know that there is no place for weapons of war in our schools, or in our churches, or in our banks, or anywhere, people are just trying to live without fear,” he said in his State of the State address. . 2023.
Walz is not necessarily from a country where immigration is a major political issue. However, many expect him to advocate for a fairer system to help undocumented migrants stay safe.
“There is no reason for asylum seekers, who will be a guiding light, to have to wait seven years to be tried,” he said in 2023.
According to Time, he also passed a bill that guaranteed health insurance coverage regardless of a person’s immigration status.
Walz has a long history of supporting American workers, signing a series of bills aimed at increasing employee rights and workplace protections.
In 2021, he advocated a plan to increase taxes on the wealthiest Minnesotans and capital gains while also cutting taxes on poorer families.
Walz recently celebrated the child tax credit initiative to help more than 215,000 Minnesota families.
He also pushed for universal free school meals, legalized marijuana in his state, and supported investment in construction and renovation projects in Minnesota.
Walz is also an LGBTQ+ ally.
According to Pink News, he banned conversion therapy in his country and signed a bill that protects trans youth who come from other countries.
He also long stood up for same-sex marriage, and maintains a strong record of protecting people in the country regardless of their sexual orientation.
