By: Aiden Ding

Not long ago, Joe Biden stepped out of the 2024 presidential election, and his vice president, Kamala Harris, stepped up. Harris is the first Black and South Asian woman to ever be a candidate, and maybe, a president.

After her nomination, Harris selected her VP running mate. She picked Tim Walz.

Tim is 59 years old, but still very capable. On X, Harris posted: “I am proud to announce that I’ve asked @Tim_Walz to be my running mate. As a governor, a coach, a teacher, and a veteran, he’s delivered for working families like his. It’s great to have him on the team. Now let’s get to work.”

If Harris wins the election, Walz will be the third vice president selected from Minnesota.

Walz was born and brought up in West Point, a city in Nebraska. He got his degree in education from Chadron State College in 1989, and started teaching at Alliance High School in Nebraska.

He later traveled to Mankato West High School in Minnesota. In his time at Mankato, he coached football and brought Mankato to its first state championship. He also was a soldier for the US Army’s National Guard for 24 years. In 2005 he retired with the title of master sergeant.

Walz started his political career in 2006 where he defeated the Republican incumbent in a rural district located in Minnesota, giving him a seat in Congress. In 2018 he ran and won an election as Governor of Minnesota. Ever since then, he has been Minnesota’s Governor.

When he was 60 years old, he married Gwen Walz, a former educator like Tim. They have two children, Hope (aged 23) and Gus (aged 17). They have two pets, Scout, a rescue dog, and Honey, a rescue cat.