OAN Staff James Meyers
8:00 AM – Tuesday, August 6, 2024
Vice President Kamala Harris picked Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her 2024 running mate Tuesday and officially four years to the week that President Joe Biden selected her as his running mate.
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The announcement is expected to come with supporters in attendance before the new duo appear for the first time together at a campaign event in Philadelphia on Tuesday evening, according to CNN.
Members of Harris’ team were sent to the Minnesota Governor’s mansion to let him know and fly with him to Philadelphia for the rally.
According to CNN, Harris became more and more comfortable with Walz during the final days of the vetting process, and was impressed by his “happy-go-lucky” attitude.
The choice by Harris comes after Democrats quickly came together to put her as their replacement nominee after Biden suspended his re-election campaign in response to constant pressure from his peers to step aside over his age, mental fortitude and his chances to beat former President Donald Trump.
Walz spent 24 years in the Army National Guard and then a decade in the U.S. House of Representatives, before running for Governor in 2018.
After the news broke, conservatives claimed that this would be the most radical, far-left ticket ever assembled in American history.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.) called the selection the “most left-wing ticket in American history” and stated that Walz didn’t do enough to stop chaos and violence in 2020 over the killing of George Floyd.
“Walz sat by and let Minneapolis burn,” DeSantis said.
During that time, Walz caught backlash from Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, who said the governor waited too long to deploy the National Guard to stop the riots in the city, which suffered over $500 million in damage and looting.
Critics of Walz are also quick to point out that his first official move as governor was launching a statewide diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) commission, which he kept going after being re-elected.
Harris and Walz will now begin a five-day, seven-state battleground tour, scheduled to begin in Philadelphia on Tuesday night.
“In addition to holding rallies in each location along the tour, at venues ranging from big arenas to college campuses, including HBCUs, the vice president and her running mate will also take the time to meet with voters in smaller, more intimate settings, including union halls, family-owned restaurants, campaign field offices, and more,” Harris campaign spokeswoman Lauren Hitt wrote in a statement. “These stops will highlight the ticket’s strength in the blue wall and Sunbelt, from urban areas to rural communities. At each stop, our new ticket will be joined by local elected officials, union members, faith leaders, and more.”
Harris officially secured the Democrat presidential nomination Monday night after receiving 99% of the DNC delegates during a five-day round of online voting.
Meanwhile, they will be tailed on their tour by Trump’s running mate, JD Vance (R-Ohio.).
Walz may have to face off against Vance in a debate, although the dates have yet to be set.
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