Minnesota Governor Tim Walz—who was tapped today by Kamala Harris to join her on the Democratic ticket—has had a meteoric rise in national popularity over the past few weeks—famously calling GOP leadership “weird” on MSNBC, which caught on in Democratic circles. Walz (pronounced like “Walls”) is 60 years old, a rural Midwesterner, a father of two, and a National Guard veteran with a long history of public service. Here are five things to know about him:
1. He was public school teacher.
In 1996, Walz left his home state of Nebraska to teach social studies and geography at Mankato West High School in Minnesota, alongside his wife, English teacher Gwen Walz. In interviews, former students described the beloved teacher’s style as energetic and encouraging, and a former colleague recounted his affinity for Diet Mountain Dew. In his decade at West High, he also became faculty sponsor for the school’s first Gay-Straight alliance and defensive coach for the school’s ragtag football team, eventually leading them to their first-ever state championship win. (He once told Pod Save America that he was “convinced” this inspiring football win won him his first election). This passion for public education followed him into his governorship, where he recently outlawed book bans and mandated free breakfasts and lunches for students.
2. He served in the US House of Representatives from 2007-2019.
If the Harris-Walz campaign succeeds in November, it won’t be the Midwesterner’s first trip to DC. In a 2006 election, Walz beat out six-term incumbent Gil Gutknecht by 6 percentage points to represent Minnesota’s 1st district. According to Walz, he decided to run for office after being barred entry to a George W. Bush rally, as some of the students he was chaperoning were volunteers for the Kerry campaign. Many former students went on to actively participate in his campaign and, in 2007, West High School arranged a send-off for the congressman-elect, which featured a student-made “sequel” to the 1939 film Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, fittingly titled “Mr. Walz Goes to Washington.”
3. He loves the state fair.
As the Minnesotan transitioned from teacher to congressman to governor, one thing never changed: his admiration for the Minnesota State Fair. He once volunteered at their notorious all-you-can-drink milk booth, and a video of Walz visiting the 2023 fair recently went viral. In it, Hope Walz convinces her father to ride the harrowing “Slingshot” ride, and he teases her vegetarianism, saying turkey doesn’t count as meat in Minnesota. If the nominee heads to the ever-popular Iowa state fair this week, he might have to tread carefully. He once drummed up a playful rivalry with the nearby state’s festivities, saying he “always appreciates Iowa kind of doing a little warm up… so Minnesota can bring in the major leagues.” Plan on attending the Minnesota state fair? He recommends the pork chop on a stick, or Sweet Martha’s bucket of cookies.
4. He’s a cat (and dog) owner.
Vice President Kamala Harris may be considered a “childless cat lady” by GOP vice presidential nominee JD Vance—though she doesn’t have a cat. Walz does. In 2023, the Walz family adopted an orange rescue cat named Honey, shortly after their longtime family cat Afton went missing. Walz rescued their dog Scout four years before, after promising his son Gus they could adopt a dog if he was elected governor. Much to the amusement of Walz’s X followers, the mischievous pup has eaten the Governor’s glasses and locked himself in a room in the Governor’s mansion, where he had to be retrieved via ladder.
5. He was once accused of being…too DC.
Despite his rural roots, the Republican Governors Association accused the Minnesotan of being too “loyal” to DC during his gubernatorial run, citing a photo of the then-congressman in a “D.C. United” shirt in the New York Post. If he returns to D.C. next year, we’ll see if this fandom continues.
