US Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris holds a campaign rally with her newly elected vice presidential candidate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, on August 6, 2024.
Elizabeth Frantz | Reuters
Vice President Kamala Harris and her newly elected running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, made their first public appearance together at a rally in Philadelphia on Tuesday evening.
“I couldn't be prouder to be on this ballot,” Walz told an excited crowd that the Harris campaign said numbered more than 12,000 people. “Thank you for bringing the joy back.”
“Since the day I announced my candidacy, I have been searching for a partner who can help me build that better future,” Harris said in her own speech Tuesday. “I have found such a leader: Governor Tim Walz of the great state of Minnesota.”
Two weeks ago, Walz was a relatively unknown Democrat on the national stage, but his sharp, candid interviews with the media and his compelling profile as a middle-class Midwesterner quickly catapulted him onto Harris's list of vice presidential nominees.
The Harris team officially announced Walz as their running mate on Tuesday morning, solidifying the Democratic nomination 91 days before the election.
U.S. Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris reacts as she holds a campaign rally with her newly elected vice presidential running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S., August 6, 2024.
Elizabeth Frantz | Reuters
Walz sharply criticized the Republican slate of former President Donald Trump and Ohio Senator JD Vance, which drew laughter from some in the audience.
“Make no mistake: violent crime has increased under Donald Trump,” Walz said, “and that doesn't even include the crimes he committed.”
The governor of Minnesota also sought to create a sharp contrast between himself and Vance, who in his political biography primarily represents Midwestern values.
“Like all the normal people I grew up with in the heartland, JD went to Yale, funded his career with Silicon Valley billionaires, and then wrote a best-selling book denigrating that community,” Walz joked.
Harris used her speech to highlight several elements of Walz's biography: his time serving in the Army National Guard, his decades-long career as a high school teacher and football coach, and his time as an adviser to the school's gay-straight alliance.
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Harris also introduced some new language in her campaign speech that sounded tailored to appeal to moderates and political independents.
“I promise you this: Our campaign will reach everyone, from the red states to the blue states, from the heart of the country to the coast, in rural, urban, suburban and tribal communities,” Harris said, underscoring the campaign's strategy of using Walz to expand the Democratic coalition.
“We are campaigning on behalf of all Americans,” she said.
In the hours since Walz was announced as her running mate, the campaign has released new Harris-Walz merchandise, as well as several commercials featuring Walz and social media statements.
Democratic presidential candidate and U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and Democratic vice presidential candidate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, appear together on stage during a campaign rally at Girard College in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, August 6, 2024.
Andrew Harnik |
The campaign reported raising $20 million since Walz's announcement, a drop in the bucket compared to the $310 million the campaign raised in July alone.
Over the past two weeks, Walz has been going through an expedited selection process for the vice presidential post along with competitors such as Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, Arizona Senator Mark Kelly and Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear.
Shapiro, who is said to be the second-strongest candidate, attended Harris and Walz's rally in his home state on Tuesday night and gave an enthusiastic speech in support of the candidates, even though he was ultimately passed over for the vice presidential nomination.
“I'm going to bust my ass to make sure we make Kamala Harris and Tim Walz the next leaders of the United States of America,” Shapiro told the crowd. “Tim Walz is a great patriot. And I'll tell you something else: Tim Walz is a dear friend.”
U.S. Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris and her newly elected vice presidential running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, react during a campaign rally in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S., August 6, 2024.
Elizabeth Frantz | Reuters
The decision to choose Harris as her vice presidential candidate was the culmination of weeks of excitement over a change in the Democratic nomination slate after President Joe Biden dropped out of the race following his disappointing performance in the debate against Trump in June.
“I just launched my campaign for president of the United States two weeks ago, and it's been a bit of a whirlwind,” Harris said at the rally in Philadelphia, acknowledging that her campaign has had a very tight schedule. “Now we have some work to do. We have to focus on the general election and win that.”
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