Updated Aug 21, 2024 -
Politics & Policy
Tim Walz's rise: From football coach and teacher to VP nominee
Axios
When Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz took the stage at the Democratic National Convention Wednesday, it represented the culmination of steady, then stratospheric rise in the party's ranks.
Chart: Axios Visuals
The big picture: The Harris campaign hopes Walz, 60, will help shore up rural and working class support in the crucial Midwestern 'Blue Wall' swing states.
Walz's everyman appeal and affable nature have already made him a darling of the internet and the DNC, where he took selfies during unscheduled visits to two state breakfasts. And he went viral at the convention after his kids placed bunny ears over his head.
Polls show that voters rate Walz higher for authenticity and compassion compared to former President Trump's running-mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance.
But Republicans have attacked him for potentially misleading or false past statements about aspects of his military experience, the fertility treatments his wife used to conceive, and a 1995 arrest on suspicion of driving under the influence.
Upbringing and life before politics
Walz was born in April 1964 in West Point, Nebraska. He was raised in a part of the state known for its cattle and farming and graduated from Butte High School in 1982.
That same year, Walz enlisted in the National Guard. He returned to the Guard after graduating from Chadron State College. Walz officially retired in 2005 as a master sergeant.
Walz began his teaching career in 1989 during a one-year program teaching high school in China.
Walz and his wife, Gwen, married in 1994 and moved to Mankato, Minnesota in 1996, where they both worked at Mankato West High School. Walz taught social studies and coached the school's football team.
Entry into politics
Walz's first taste of politics came in 2004, when he volunteered for John Kerry's 2004 presidential campaign.
In 2006, he ran for the U.S. House of Representatives and beat incumbent Republican Rep. Gil Gutknecht to turn Minnesota's 1st District blue.
He was reelected consecutively from 2008 through 2016, and built a reputation as a moderate.
Governorship to present
In 2018, Walz was elected Minnesota governor and won reelection in 2022.
His legislative record as governor is both prolific and strikingly progressive, given his centrist record in the House. He signed legislation to guarantee free school meals, legalize marijuana, provide paid family leave, allow undocumented immigrants to obtain driver's licenses, protect abortion access and more.
In a boost to his national profile, Walz was appointed chair of the Democratic Governors Association in Dec. 2023.
In mid-July, Walz coined Democrats' buzzword for the 2024 campaign after he referred to Trump and Vance as 'just weird.'
On Aug. 6, the Harris campaign announced that Walz had been picked to be Vice President Kamala Harris' running-mate.
He will formally accept his party's nomination on Wednesday night at the DNC.
Go deeper:
- 'Not going back': Walz formally accepts Democratic VP nomination
- Tim Walz's 'big dad energy' wins hearts across the internet
- Behind Tim Walz's 'weird'-to-VP pipeline
- What to know about Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz
Editor's note: This article has been updated with details from the DNC.
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