Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi and many House Democrats have a favorite to be Kamala Harris’s running mate: Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.
The Hill reports that several Democrats have been advocating for Walz, who was a member of Congress himself from 2006 until 2019 and was well liked among his fellow Democrats. That includes the former House speaker, who was instrumental in convincing Joe Biden to withdraw from the race and gave a lot of early support to Harris.
One source told The Hill that Pelosi “is always especially fond of former House colleagues” when asked about Harris’s running mate, a nod to Walz.
Other House Democrats echoed the sentiment. “My sentimental favorite is Tim Walz,” said Representative Jim McGovern. “He was a great member of Congress. The people I know in Minnesota tell me he’s a great governor.… But more importantly, he’s a good guy. He’s down to earth, he’s the real deal, there’s nothing phony about him, and he calls ‘em as he sees ‘em, and he tells it like it is, and I appreciate the candor.”
“I want somebody who’s really strongly pro-labor and understands labor, because this is a big part of the working-class agenda and making sure that we win working-class votes,” Representative Pramila Jayapal said. “I really like Governor Walz. I like the things that he’s been able to do. I like that he’s from a rural town; I like that he’s got a military background.”
Walz’s popularity has grown since the vice president entered the race more than two weeks ago. He’s made successful critiques of Republicans like J.D. Vance and held his own against the right wing on Fox News. If Pelosi is in favor of Walz joining Harris’s ticket, that could be a deciding factor and make many Democrats, whether elected or rank-and-file, very happy.
