Vice President Kamala Harris has put the final piece in place in her bid for the Oval Office with selection Tuesday of Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota.
The choice comes as no surprise to Rep. Charles Smith, the Dist. 44 freshman Democrat representing Cumberland County in the state House of Representatives.
“I had a hunch that Gov. Walz might be the selection,” Smith, 32, says. “Tim Walz provides the Democratic ticket with a proven political winner and suburban-rural appeal, which, at least recently, has been a struggle for the party. Looking at his electoral history, in 2006 Gov. Walz was able to defeat a six-term incumbent for a congressional seat in the southern part of Minnesota, with a larger rural population.
“As demonstrated by his ability to hold that congressional seat for an additional five terms, I think Gov. Walz is uniquely adept at bridging the divide between Democratic policies and more conservative values, extending the breadth of the party’s electoral appeal.
“On paper, when combined with his military service and years as a public-school teacher, Gov. Walz appears to be an effective political force and compelling complement to Vice President Harris,” Smith says.
There was political speculation Harris would go with Gov. Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania as the presumptive Democratic vice-presidential nominee in the past week as Harris narrowed her choices to include Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona.
“Yes, I certainly think Shapiro was right up there at the top of the list, and I wouldn’t have been surprised if he was the choice,” Smith says. “From what I’ve heard, I think he’s drawn some criticism from education groups for his stance on school vouchers, and he may have faced some criticism from union groups. Walz gives the ticket a similar moderate appeal, but without the potential risk of alienating folks within the party. He’s a safer pick. However, Walz is not as well-known as Shapiro, and the party will have to overcome that obstacle. Admittedly, when I started looking into him, I didn’t know much about him, and I suspect that’s the case for most people. Once you look into him, he does appear impressive, but will people take the time to look into him? That’s the question I have.”
Applewhite, Jackson give a thumbs up
“Like many, Gov. Walz was not on my radar,” says Sen. Val Applewhite, who represents Cumberland County in Dist. 19.
She has no argument with Harris’ running mate.
“I believe Vice President Harris has made an excellent strategic choice,” Applewhite says. “Of particular value to my Senate district, North Carolina and the country is his military experience of 24 years of service in the Army National Guard. Also, while in Congress he became the ranking Democrat on the Veterans Affairs Committee and served on the Armed Services Committee. Gov. Walz has demonstrated his ability to defeat Republicans in contested races while appealing to voters in rural areas, where Democrats must do better. He has an impressive resume of legislation that I believe will resonate with the middle class.”
No argument from Rep. Frances Jackson, either.
“Gov. Walz as the vice-president pick is a bold and smart move for the campaign,” says Jackson, the Dist. 45 legislator for Cumberland County. “He will relate to so many people across our country, starting with me. His experience as a legislator and history teacher is needed as the working class, particularly educators, have been overlooked in our state and across the country.”
Walz, 60, is a former high school teacher and defensive football coach. His Mankato West High School team, according to published reports, won the 1999 state title.
“Also, as a state legislator, Gov. Walz has made health care and education a priority,” Jackson says. “Furthermore, his military background as a master sergeant in the Army National Guard is appealing to those of us who are champions for military active duty and retirees. Last and hardly least, Gov. Walz has a bi-partisan appeal working towards bridging the (political) divide, which is what our country needs.”
Rep. Marvin Lucas, who represents Cumberland County for Dist. 42 in the N.C. House, did not respond to CityView inquiries about Walz as Harris’ vice-presidential running mate. Lucas is not seeking reelection after 24 years in the General Assembly.
Race for the White House is on
Suffice to say, the race for the White House is on; former President Donald J. Trump, 78, and vice-presidential running mate J.D. Vance, 40, are touting their Republican campaign of “Make American Great Again” against Kamala Harris, 59, who could become the first woman in history to occupy the Oval Office.
Trump and Vance are coming off an emotional Republican National Convention held in Milwaukee, within a week of a July 13 assassination attempt on Trump’s life at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The Democratic National Convention is scheduled Aug. 19-22 at the United Center in Chicago, where Harris and Walz are expected to officially become the Democratic Party ticket. President Joe Biden announced on July 21 he would not seek a second term after leading Congressional Democrats urged the 81-year-old president to step aside following a poor performance in the CNN Presidential Debate on June 27 in Atlanta.
Election Day is Nov. 5.
“Every day,” Applewhite says, “I’m increasingly confident Democrats will win in November.”
Epilogue
Vice President Kamala Harris has a vice-presidential running mate in Gov. Tim Walz, a progressive politician who isn’t afraid to take on the Trump-Vance ticket, and Walz tells it like it is.
“Gov. Governor Tim Walz is a seasoned elected official, two-term governor of Minnesota and 12 years in the U.S. House of Representatives, so he knows how the process works and is a known fierce debater,” George Breece, a longtime Cumberland County politico says. “He knows Capitol Hill, having served there, and has been a very close ally of former Speaker Nancy Pelosi.”
But …
“This race for president is not about who either vice president nominee is,” Breece says. “This is a race between Harris vs. Trump. Neither vice president candidate will move the needle that much. Both vice-presidential candidates are nice window dressing, but folks don’t vote for vice presidents. They vote for the top of the ticket. This is a Harris vs. Trump race.”
Touché to Breece’s point. Touché.
Bill Kirby Jr. can be reached at billkirby49@gmail.com or 910-624-1961.
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