Five things to know about Tim Walz, the Democratic VP pick

Vice President Kamala Harris has picked Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate. You might know Walz as the guy who called former President Donald Trump and his running mate JD Vance “weird,” but there is more to the long-time Minnesota politician-turned-internet-celebrity than that.

Here are five things to know:

He’s a two-decade veteran of Minnesota politics

Walz launched his first campaign for Congress in 2006, beating incumbent Republican Gil Gutknecht. He was re-elected five times, before jumping into the 2018 Minnesota gubernatorial race. As governor, Walz oversaw the state’s response to unrest following the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer. While Minnesota isn’t seen as a competitive state for Democrats, his selection could help Harris gather support in the broader Midwest region, especially in key states such as Wisconsin and Michigan.

He enlisted in the Army National Guard at 17

Walz stayed in the national guard for 24 years, and when he retired he had reached the rank of Command Sergeant Major. That made him the highest ranking enlisted soldier to have served in Congress when he was elected in 2006, according to his congressional biography.

He represented a congressional district that leaned Republican

When Walz won a second term in the House in 2008, he became the second-ever non-Republican to earn a full second term representing Minnesota’s first district. Since Walz left Congress, two Republicans have occupied the district’s seat in the House. His record winning in areas where Republicans have had success could help him and Harris win over more swing voters.

He was a teacher

Walz began his teaching journey after high school, when he took a teaching position at the Native American Reservation in Pine Ridge, South Dakota. He also taught overseas in China, before moving back to the U.S. and teaching in Nebraska, where he met his now-wife Gwen.

He has been a proponent of progressive Democratic positions

As governor, Walz has been known as a liberal policymaker who has supported unions and taken steps to protect abortion rights in his state. Minnesota also passed provisions providing paid family and medical leave under his watch, alongside a tax credit for low-income parents. His policy positions during his tenure have been more progressive than what had been expected from a lawmaker who emerged from a conservative Minnesota district. His record as governor will be a main line of attack from the Trump campaign. “It’s no surprise that San Francisco Liberal Kamala Harris wants West Coast wannabe Tim Walz as her running-mate—Walz has spent his governorship trying to reshape Minnesota in the image of the Golden State,” Trump spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said after the Walz pick was announced.

John McCormick contributed to this article.

Write to Owen Tucker-Smith at Owen.Tucker-Smith@wsj.com