By Armin Sijamić
The Democratic Party has finally chosen a candidate for Vice President of the United States, who, together with Kamala Harris, will try to defeat Donald Trump and J.D. Vance. Although Tim Walz is little known to the wider American public, his selection now seems logical.
The Democratic Party has also chosen its second candidate for the presidential race. The sixty-year-old governor of Minnesota, a military veteran, and former congressman Tim Walz will assist Harris, or rather, take over some of the tasks where she does not perform well. Walz was one of three candidates for the position. The shortlist included Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and Arizona Senator Mark Kelly.
Many argued that Shapiro would be the ideal candidate, as he comes from a state that is one of the kingmakers in the election, i.e., a "swing state," or Kelly, because Arizona was one of the most important states in Joseph Biden's victory four years ago, the first for a Democratic candidate since Bill Clinton in 1996, and the second since 1948 when Harry S. Truman won. In addition, Walz comes from a state where a Republican presidential candidate has not won since 1972, and in the race for the House of Representatives and the Senate since 2006.
A Strange Campaign, Strange Candidates
Trump's campaign team is targeting Minnesota and has already held rallies there. Republicans believe they could win this time, as Trump relies on what he sees as Walz's mistakes as governor, when he closed companies and schools in the fight against coronavirus. According to Trump's view, Walz did not handle the unrest after the George Floyd incident well either.
However, it seems that these elections are bringing a race that few remember, i.e., a race full of twists and turns, forcing Republican and Democratic strategists to think differently.
Therefore, the choice of the sixty-year-old Lutheran does not seem like a surprise; on the contrary, it seems like a continuation of the plan to strengthen Kamala Harris's position among white voters, especially those living in rural areas. Walz was born in rural Nebraska and represented rural Minnesota districts in the House of Representatives for twelve years, drawing his electoral success from there.
Walz is a former National Guard member for almost a quarter of a century, and served in Europe. This helped him in formulating policy after he joined John Kerry's presidential campaign in 2004, and from 2006 onwards, he won six terms against Republican candidates, criticizing President George W. Bush for the war in Iraq. Since then, Walz has been a fighter for the rights of military veterans, who are targeted by Trump and Vance.
There is no doubt that a man with such a biography fits the profile of someone who should deal with Vance, an aggressive Republican candidate, whom he has already described as "strange," which the Democratic campaign team has already begun to use in their campaign.
An Old-School Democrat
Walz will try to strengthen the Democrats' position in the so-called "Rust Belt," which Republicans are targeting by choosing Vance. Analysts say the most important part of the competition will be in the Midwest. Walz should contribute in states like Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania, although he, like the presidential candidate who is from California, does not originate from there.
Nevertheless, the problems of the people there are close to him, and he has experience in dealing with issues that are important to them, as a congressman and as governor for the past five years. He is a proponent of union organizing, workers' rights, and advocated that the minimum hourly wage should not be below fifteen dollars.
All of this makes Walz a representative example of an American Democrat, of whom there are fewer and fewer due to significant social, economic, and political changes. Furthermore, he has proven to be a loyal party soldier. He stood behind Harris immediately after President Biden withdrew from the race.
Previously, he supported Biden in all important policies, becoming one of the first governors to order the termination of state contracts in Minnesota with Russian companies after the aggression against Ukraine in 2022. Although a proponent of aid to Israel, he softened his support for Tel Aviv after Biden did so, facing the Israeli army's crimes in the Gaza Strip.
The Plan Seems to Work – At Least Until the Debate
The latest polls show that current Vice President Harris is almost tied with Trump in almost all "swing" states and even has a lead in some. There is no doubt that Walz's selection will further improve these numbers if the campaign continues on this course.
As Republicans have warned Trump and Vance not to attack Harris based on her race or gender, Walz has already become a target. "Walz would be the worst Vice President in history," Trump said, adding that he is "even worse than the dangerously liberal and corrupt Kamala Harris – Yes, that bad. He will unleash hell on earth and open our borders to the worst criminals imaginable."
Such an assessment is characteristic of Trump, and he has done it before, especially with qualifications that a policy was the best or worst in history, depending on whether it referred to him or Biden, which he used in the debate that cost the current president the fight for a new term.
But as September approaches, when the campaign heats up in a way that addresses issues important to voters in the states, Democrats have an opportunity to achieve their plan. With their biographies, Harris and Walz have an open path to women, minorities, migrant communities, rural white voters, union members, workers, young people, and progressive Democrats...
Although any turn of events is possible in this campaign, the first major test of popularity is expected to be the presidential and vice-presidential candidate debates. In the case of the Democrats, whose popularity has been growing since Biden's withdrawal from the race, the debate between Trump and Harris will be particularly important. Media reported on Thursday that the first will be held on September 10 and that Trump is seeking two more.
For Harris to continue her popularity growth, she now needs a tactic for discussing with Trump, who does not shy away from spreading falsehoods and making personal attacks, while at the same time offering a program that will attract all those she is addressing. With Walz entering the race, she has gained millions of potential new voters.
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