Time for political tandems: Kamala Harris chooses Tim Waltz and changes the game

It’s fashionable to quote Trump these days. Whether he is telling the truth or lying, the main thing is that he does it authoritatively. So, Trump said that “the vice president in the context of the election has no influence, well, almost none.”  However, the reaction of the world community, first to the candidacy of Jay D. Vance, and now to the protégé of Kamala Harris, Tim Waltz, testifies to the opposite. The vice president, even a potential one, is by no means a decorative figure, a kind of decoration of the leader of the United States of America. This is usually a powerful personality behind whom there is a strong political background and who loudly declares his position on key issues of the state’s development.

The time of political tandems

Currently, the influence of the candidates for the vice presidential chair confirms the tendency of journalists to form tandems Trump-Vance, Harris-Woltz. Everyone understands that the fight for victory in the elections is not carried out by individuals, but by “partners in the race”, in fact, teams from which a synergy effect is expected.

Tim Waltz has become a front-runner on Ms Harris’ list thanks to television appearances where he emotionally declared that Republicans were “very strange”. Such, it would seem, is a very simple, but at the same time clear explanation of why voters should say “no” to Donald Trump. Volz’s assessment quickly went viral and caught on with the Democratic-leaning electorate.

For Camila, Harris Waltz became the epitome of “Midwestern Dad”. With rural roots, simple, practical, straightforward, it balances both Kamala Harris’ San Francisco Bay Area background and her political views. The combination of Harris’ progressive politics and Waltz’s more moderate or traditional values ​​creates a balanced tandem capable of attracting a wide range of voters.

Waltz also showed his support for Harris, saying he would support her not only in winning but also in helping to govern.

Mr. Volz is currently in his second term as governor. He spent twelve years in Congress, where he was the rare Democrat who represented a predominantly rural district. It is known that Waltz served in the National Guard for 24 years and taught high school social studies in Mankato, Minnesota, before going into big politics.

“Prairie of populism”

This is what the Democrats call Volz for a number of initiatives he supported. In particular, he has signed bills on the legalization of marijuana, paid family leave, abortion rights and gun control, driver’s licenses for undocumented immigrants, free school lunches

Waltz’s political history looks like a plot from a Hollywood movie. In August 2004, he accompanied his students to a rally for President George W. Bush in Mankato, Minnesota. Waltz’s students were supporters of John Kerry, the Democratic senator from Massachusetts who ran against Bush in that year’s presidential election. They wore t-shirts and had posters that said “Teachers for Kerry”.

When Bush campaign staff noticed the posters, they escorted the students out of the rally and told them they were barred from the event because of their support for Kerry. This outraged Waltz, and he decided to act. The next day, he volunteered for Kerry’s staff, and a year later decided to run for Congress himself, where he was considered a moderate Democrat. He served on the Agriculture, Veterans Affairs, and Armed Services committees. This shows Volz’s ability to work with different interest groups and understanding of a wide range of issues.

For years, Volz has had a high rating from the National Rifle Association (NRA), signifying his support for gun rights.

However, in 2018, under the influence of the mass shooting in Parkland, Florida, Waltz changed his position and called for a ban on assault weapons. This change was motivated by an appeal from his daughter. And this case shows Volz’s ability to adapt and respond to changing circumstances and new challenges.

Volz has a great sense of humor, adores animals, hates formalities. He is more often seen in a T-shirt than in a business suit.

“A left-handed man in the clothes of a commoner”

Republicans, in turn, have dubbed Harris’ running mate “a leftist in commoner’s clothing” and have made it clear they plan to attack Mr. Waltz, particularly over the violence and unrest in Minneapolis that has erupted since the 2020 killing of George Floyd. What is it about? In May of this year, George Floyd, an African-American, died while being arrested by police in Minneapolis, Minnesota. One of the officers, Derek Chauvin, kneed Floyd’s neck to the ground for more than 9 minutes, resulting in his death. The video of this incident went viral and sparked mass protests. As governor of Minnesota, Tim Waltz faced criticism for how he handled the situation. Some believed that he did not respond quickly and effectively to the riots, allowing the situation to spiral out of control.

Republicans are using this situation as a political argument against Volz, arguing that he is a weak leader who failed to ensure order and security during the crisis.

The reaction of social networks

Ukrainians are massively reposting a screenshot of Tim Volz’s post from February 24, 2024, which expresses unwavering support for our country in the fight for freedom and democracy. Under the post, there are comments of thanks and admiration for the choice of Kamala Harris.

What is with the electoral mood?

The New York Times closely monitors the situation, publishing fresh data from electoral polls. They testify: Harris has been beating Trump since the beginning of August. Moreover, it is precisely with the replacement of the candidate for the Democrats that the positive dynamics in the national polls begin.

The time of Joe Biden’s complete failure against the background of the upward movement of Donald Trump is replaced by the triumphant march of Kamala Harris, who is already 1% ahead of the Republican candidate.