Virginia Democrats celebrate Kamala Harris’ VP pick, Tim Walz

FILE - Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz speaks at a press conference, June 24, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr, File)

By Michael O'Connor

August 6, 2024

Minnesota Gov. Walz is being lauded as a champion for working people and defender of reproductive rights with the right amount of Midwestern dad vibes to help Democrats take back the White House.

Virginia Democrats joined in the national chorus celebrating Kamala Harris’ selection of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate on Tuesday.

“A Harris-Walz administration will advance the historic progress Democrats have made in improving the daily lives of Virginians and Americans and block MAGA Republicans’ dangerous and extreme plans,” Susan Swecker, Democratic Party of Virginia Chair, said in a statement. “We are looking forward to spending every minute over the next three months working to elect the Harris-Walz ticket.”

Walz brings a string of serious policy accomplishments to the ticket. As governor of Minnesota, he signed into law a free school breakfast and lunch program and helped legalize recreational weed. He also made abortion a fundamental right under Minnesota state law and increased protections for workers.

“He’s a plain spoken, down to earth, pragmatic optimist who cares about kids, working families, and our democracy,” said Virginia State Sen. Ghazala Hashmi of Chesterfield on X, formerly known as Twitter. “And he’s our next Vice President.”

The enthusiasm for Walz in Virginia and across the country builds on the initial flurry of excitement about Harris when she emerged as the candidate to replace President Joe Biden as the Democratic nominee for president. As with Harris a few weeks ago, the internet did what it does best with memes of Walz as the Midwestern dad America needs proliferating across social media.

Good luck painting this joyous hunk of pure Midwestern dad as a radical. pic.twitter.com/SDpkDGkFjH

— Rex Huppke (@RexHuppke) August 6, 2024

“This is a pick that shows in what Democrats believe,” said Virginia State Sen. Stella Petarsky of Fairfax County on X. “A veteran and educator who ensured universal free school meals for kids and supporting working families in Minnesota.”

Michael O'Connor

Michael is an award-winning journalist who started covering Virginia news in 2013 with reporting stints at the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Virginia Business, and Richmond BizSense. A graduate of William & Mary and Northern Virginia Community College, he also covered financial news for S&P Global Market Intelligence.

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CATEGORIES: NATIONAL POLITICS

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