Democrats erupted in cheers Tuesday as news spread that Vice President Kamala Harris named a “happy warrior” to serve as her running mate in the 2024 presidential election. Harris’ choice of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who has famously labeled the MAGA right as “weird,” drew praise from experts who believe he is the perfect candidate to challenge Republican nominee Donald Trump and his running mate, Senator J.D. Vance.
“It should send chills through Team MAGA,” argued Daily Beast columnist David Rothkopf. “Harris-Walz will be a potent messaging team…that maintains the positive energy, the joy and humor and sense of purpose of Harris so far.” Former Democratic Senator Claire McCaskill of Missouri highlighted on MSNBC how Walz connects Harris to a crucial Midwestern base.
“He grounds her in a way that really matters,” McCaskill said. “This is not a coastal elite guy, this is not an Ivy Leaguer. This is a guy who says things like, ‘You’d lose your hair too if you supervised a high school lunchroom for 20 years.'”
McCaskill also praised Walz’s ability to attack with a smile. “He’s joyful when he’s on the attack,” she said. “He almost does it with a wink and a smile and a sense of humor when he is going after these guys…Tim Walz, he is one happy warrior.”
Chris D. Jackson, a member of the DNC Platform Committee, praised the selection. “Good pick,” Jackson wrote on X. “He was my choice, as he reminds me of Joe Biden. Blue collar, straight talker, and serious pol.” Axios reporter Stephen Neukam noted that many were surprised Harris did not choose Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, who governs a key swing state.
“Cannot emphasize enough that almost every Dem strategist I talk to thought Shapiro was the right pick,” he wrote. “This is surprising for many.” “Women nominees ALWAYS choose a running mate named Tim,” Jeff Timmer, a former GOP strategist with the anti-Trump group Lincoln Project, joked. “Ballz to the Walz.”
MSNBC correspondent Molly Jong-Fast shared some trivia about the Minnesota governor. “Walz hunts and ice fishes,” Jong-Fast noted. “Walz once carved a school bus out of butter.” The Harris-Walz ticket has been met with enthusiasm from Democrats, who believe the duo’s positive energy, humor, and connection to the Midwestern base will be a formidable force against the Republican opposition.