For a couple of weeks ago, few democrats could identify the governor from Minnesota. But within the span of a few weeks, the fan base has grown – consisting mainly of liberals who support his progressive politics and cheer on his attacks on the Republicans' Donald Trump, according to The New York Times.
Walz was born in a small town in Nebraska and took a social science degree from Chadron State College in the same state.
He has been highly ranked within the American National Guard, where he has served for over 20 years.
Former teacher and coach
Walz is also a former teacher and coach in American football. He entered politics in 2006 and attracted voters to the Democrats' side in traditionally Republican electoral districts in Minnesota.
He spent six terms in the US House of Representatives before being elected governor in 2018. In 2022, he won re-election.
Already in the late 1990s, when Walz worked as a geography teacher and coach, he fought for the rights of LGBTQI individuals – long before it was on the Democrats' political agenda.
Since then, he has driven several progressive legislative proposals in Minnesota, such as free school meals, legalization of marijuana, and stricter gun laws, while strengthening protection for abortion rights.
Viral after statement about Trump
Walz has received sparse attention for his democratic politics, and it was only recently that he got a viral breakthrough.
It was in connection with his comment on Donald Trump and his vice presidential candidate JD Vance when they visited Minnesota that his statement "These guys are just weird" took on a life of its own on the internet. The statement has become an unofficial slogan for Harris' election campaign.
For Republicans, Walz is primarily known for his handling of the riots in Minneapolis after George Floyd's death, which they consider was slow.
Several analysts believe that he will push the Democrats in a more liberal direction. Perhaps too liberal to attract the broad middle?
