The nomination of Tim Walz, a former military officer, former public school teacher and white man with a “non-threatening” demeanor, as Kamala Harris’ running mate is unlikely to hurt her campaign. It remains to be seen whether the Democratic presidential candidate’s choice will galvanize American voters ahead of the November election.
“Studies show that the choice of running mate can almost never win an election, but it can lose it,” explains Valérie Beaudoin, associate researcher at the Raoul-Dandurand Chair’s Observatory on the United States. “It is the judgment of the presidential candidate that is put forward in this decision.”
By choosing someone who has already won public support — Mr. Walz was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from 2006 to 2018, and then to the governorship of Minnesota starting in 2018 — Mr.me Harris has demonstrated “that she listens to voters,” the researcher says.
“She also showed that she listens to studies,” since these prove that the nomination of a running mate does not systematically allow the desired results to be obtained, said M.me Beaudoin: “She didn’t let herself be tempted by the idea of getting Pennsylvania votes in the election by choosing the state’s governor, Josh Shapiro.”
However, it should be remembered that Joe Biden’s decision to choose Kamala Harris as his running mate during the 2020 presidential campaign was decisive, notes the researcher. “Kamala Harris is a bit of an exception. She managed to rally a lot of people,” she says. A feat that the American politics expert does not know if Tim Walz will be able to reproduce.
A “complementary” running mate
When a candidate for the American presidency chooses a running mate, the goal is “to choose someone who is complementary and with whom they will work well,” says Pierre Martin, professor of political science at the University of Montreal. “Tim Walz was a teacher, he was a soldier. Some American voters are looking for this demonstration of public service, something that Kamala Harris does not have on her resume,” he adds. Josh Shapiro, who was also considered for the position, “would have been very similar to Kamala Harris. The two have relatively similar backgrounds. Both are lawyers.”
With his “down-to-earth” demeanor, Mr. Walz stands out “from the American elite,” according to Professor Martin. On the other hand, he is almost the same age as Kamala Harris. “You would have thought she could have gone to someone much younger.”
In addition to Josh Shapiro, Arizona Senator Mark Kelly was also considered in the process, but “in the end, it was between Josh Shapiro and Tim Walz,” the American politics expert reports. “There were problems with both candidates. She had to make a choice.”
Many believed that Mr.me Harris would focus on Josh Shapiro. “He has very clear presidential ambitions: that probably worked against him. It’s hard to work when there’s someone looking over your shoulder all the time.” Above all, his nomination could have had the effect of “demobilizing the Democratic left wing.” The Pennsylvania governor has already made his support for the State of Israel unequivocally known; the left wing of the party, which had sharply criticized Joe Biden’s position on the conflict between Israel and Hamas, could have reacted badly to Mr. Shapiro’s nomination.
Pierre Martin predicts that Tim Walz will be criticized for his handling of the uprisings that followed the death of George Floyd in 2020 in Minneapolis. “He was governor at the time. In a partisan context, it’s easy to pin the disorganization that took place on him.”
According to the professor, in the coming weeks, the important thing for Democrats “will be to remain calm in the face of attacks.” “But Tim Walz has shown that he is capable of responding with humor. He does not tend to get carried away. He brings a human side to politics.”
What will work in Mr. Walz’s favor, according to the expert, is that “when you present him with problems, he is ready to help in a pragmatic way.” “He is the kind of candidate who, while he is going door to door, will help the citizen mow his lawn.”