Reactions to Kamala Harris' pick of Tim Walz for vice president

[August 07, 2024]  WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris selected Minnesota Governor Tim Walz to be her running mate on Tuesday, choosing a liberal policy champion and a plain speaker from the American heartland to help win over rural, white voters.

Here are some reactions to her pick:

DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN:

"Kamala Harris has made a great decision in choosing Governor Tim Walz to be her running mate ... he's been a strong, principled and effective leader. The Harris-Walz ticket will be a powerful voice for working people and America's great middle class. They will be the strongest defenders of our personal freedoms and our democracy. And they will ensure that America continues to lead the world and play its role as the indispensable nation."

REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE DONALD TRUMP:

"TIM WALZ WOULD BE THE WORST VP IN HISTORY! Even worse than Dangerously Liberal and Crooked Kamala Harris - HE'S THAT BAD. He'll unleash HELL ON EARTH and open our borders to the worst criminals imaginable. He'll rubber stamp Kamala's GREEN NEW SCAM and light TRILLIONS of dollars on fire."

REPUBLICAN VICE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE J.D. VANCE:

"The biggest problem with the Tim Walz pick, it's not Tim Walz himself. It's what it says about Kamala Harris, that when given the opportunity she will bend the knee to the most radical elements of her party."

DEMOCRATIC PENNSYLVANIA GOVERNOR JOSH SHAPIRO, A VP FINALIST:

"Over the next 90 days, I look forward to traveling all across the Commonwealth to unite Pennsylvanians behind my friends Kamala Harris and Tim Walz and defeat Donald Trump."

HILLARY CLINTON, 2016 DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE:

"I'm thrilled to see Tim Walz join the Democratic ticket. From providing free meals for schoolkids to implementing paid family leave in Minnesota, he's about doing good in all the ways you can. He'll be an incredible partner to our first woman president. Let's go win this."

REPUBLICAN U.S. SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM:

"If you had any doubt that Kamala Harris is deeply liberal, look no further than the fact that her VP pick was endorsed by Bernie Sanders. Great day for the Left. Bad day for middle America."

FORMER DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA AND FORMER FIRST LADY MICHELLE OBAMA:

"Kamala Harris has chosen an ideal partner – and made it clear exactly what she stands for. Governor Walz doesn’t just have the experience to be vice president, he has the values and the integrity to make us proud."

DEMOCRATIC U.S. REPRESENTATIVE MARK POCAN OF WISCONSIN:

"I’ve know Tim for years, and he’s as real as it gets."

DEMOCRATIC U.S. REPRESENTATIVE ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ:

“Vice President Harris made an excellent decision in Gov. Walz as her running mate. .. Together, they will govern effectively, inclusively, and boldly for the American people."

INDEPENDENT U.S. SENATOR JOE MANCHIN:

"All of the candidates were strong and any one of them would have been a great pick, but I can think of no one better than Governor Walz to help bring our country closer together and bring balance back to the Democratic Party."

ASIF MAHMOOD, DEMOCRATIC DONOR AND DELEGATE:

"He's somebody that everybody can relate to. People feel good about him."

REID HOFFMAN, DEMOCRATIC DONOR AND FOUNDER OF LINKEDIN:

"Walz fostered a pro-business climate, attracting substantial investment and positioning the state as a top contender for business development. I'm confident that as VP, he'll continue to protect America’s innovation power and fuel economic growth."

DMITRI MEHLHORN, DEMOCRATIC DONOR ADVISER:

“He’s charismatic and reassuring and will be particularly appealing to the voters who previously trusted Biden.”

Democratic candidate for Governor Tim Walz participates in a gun violence prevention roundtable with former Representative Gabby Giffords in Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S., October 26, 2018. Picture taken October 26, 2018. REUTERS/Brian Snyder/File Photo

KAROLINE LEAVITT, TRUMP CAMPAIGN PRESS SECRETARY:

"Just like Kamala Harris, Tim Walz is a dangerously liberal extremist."

REPUBLICAN GOVERNORS ASSOCIATION:

"While Walz will try to sell himself as a relatable moderate, his record shows that he consistently backs the most liberal policies that national Democrats have to offer and will be in lockstep with the Democrat agenda that has already failed Americans."

UNITED AUTO WORKERS PRESIDENT SHAWN FAIN:

"Tim Walz has been a great governor and is going to make a great Vice President. He’s stood with the working class every step of the way, and has walked the walk, including on a UAW picket line last fall."

REPUBLICAN FLORIDA GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS:

"Harris-Walz: most left-wing ticket in American history. Minnesota was ground zero for the BLM riots of 2020. Harris egged it on and Walz sat by and let Minneapolis burn."

U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES REPUBLICAN LEADER STEVE SCALISE:

"Kamala Harris just made the most liberal ticket in history even more liberal. Tim Walz is a radical who let rioters burn Minneapolis to the ground in 2020 — the same rioters Kamala Harris raised money to bail out. They're a dangerous duo that'll let crime destroy our communities."

AFL-CIO PRESIDENT LIZ SHULER:

"Gov. Walz isn’t only an ally to the labor movement, but also our union brother with a deep commitment to a pro-worker agenda. ... The labor movement stands united behind the Harris–Walz ticket."

AMY WALTER AND JESSICA TAYLOR, ANALYSTS FOR NONPARTISAN COOK POLITICAL REPORT:

"Harris has fulfilled the wishes of the more progressive wing of the party ... it looks as if the Harris campaign decided that it was not worth risking an intra-party fight with their VP choice.

"Republicans we talked to were more worried about the impact Shapiro would have on the contest and saw him as the stronger opponent.

"Bottom line: Walz’s rural Midwestern background helps give the ticket some 'Blue Wall' credibility and sensibility without upsetting the progressive wing of the party."

AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS PRESIDENT RANDI WEINGARTEN:

"Gov. Walz is a proud educator who drew on his experience in the classroom to show Minnesotans what a pro-education, pro-labor administration can look like."

JOINT STATEMENT FROM PRO-PALESTINIAN GROUPS:

"Vice President Kamala Harris has a taken a step in the right direction but there is more work to do ... The Biden administration's unconditional support for Israel's genocide in Gaza has tarnished Democrats’ longstanding support from Palestinian, Arab, Muslim, and progressive communities, and it will take real change in policy to repair that damage."

MANISH BAPNA, PRESIDENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP NRDC ACTION FUND:

“Tim Walz has made Minnesota a national climate leader. ... He brings sound judgment and a solid commitment to protecting the environment and public health in a way that advances equity."

UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA POLITICAL SCIENCE PROFESSOR LARRY SABATO:

"Yes, Gov. Josh Shapiro could have brought a bigger payoff (19 Electoral Votes) but Gov. Tim Walz fills the age-old bill for VP nominees: First, do no harm."

(Compiled by Andy Sullivan; editing by Jonathan Oatis and Alistair Bell)

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