Kamala Harris, the Democratic Party’s candidate, has chosen Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate in the United States presidential election, according to US media reports.
Harris, the first woman and first Black and South Asian person to serve as vice president, considered a broad field of candidates during a fast vetting process in the race for the White House, after President Joe Biden ended his re-election bid on July 21.
Walz, 60, who was elected governor of Minnesota in 2018 and won re-election in 2022, would bring to the presidential ticket a record of defeating Republicans in a Midwestern state.
Harris, 59, will hold a major rally with her vice presidential pick later on Tuesday in Philadelphia in the swing state of Pennsylvania, followed by rallies in Wisconsin, Michigan, North Carolina, Arizona and Nevada through Saturday.
The duo will face off against the Republican nominee and former President Donald Trump and his running mate JD Vance in the November election.
If they win, then Walz will be second in line for the presidency.
A veteran of the US Army National Guard, Walz serves as co-chair of the Democratic National Convention’s rules committee.
As governor, he has overseen state approval of the right to abortion, protected gender-affirming care and introduced free school meals for students.
*Culled from Al Jazera
