Tim Walz’s assurance to Kamala Harris that led to his selection: ‘If I have to do the hard things…’

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz was selected by Kamala Harris as her running mate after he reassured the vice president that he was “not angling” for the top job, insiders have claimed. A source told Politico that the presidential candidate’s choice came down to the sense of loyalty she got from Walz during interviews.

“I’m at the end of my career. This is not about me. This is about America’s working families,” Walz reportedly told Harris and her vetting team on Sunday, August 4. “And if I have to run through a brick wall, if I have to do the hard things, I’m willing to do it because I’m not angling for anything else.”

‘Harris had a concern that Shapiro would overshadow her’

It is Walz’s deference that really appealed to Harris, the insider said. On Tuesday, August 6, Harris announced that Walz was her VP pick. “I am proud to announce that I’ve asked @Tim_Walz to be my running mate,” Harris wrote on X. “As a governor, a coach, a teacher, and a veteran, he’s delivered for working families like his.”

While Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro was considered the favourite for the ticket, it is Walz’s loyalty that gave him an edge over Shapiro, according to reports. “My honest sense is that Harris had a concern that Shapiro would overshadow her and be the spotlight of the ticket here,” a Democratic operative told New York Post. “What this pick came down to was, more or less, vibes.”

Shapiro praised Walz as an “exceptionally strong” pick shortly after Harris announced her decision. “Over the next 90 days, I look forward to traveling all across the Commonwealth to unite Pennsylvanians behind Kamala Harris’ campaign to defeat Donald Trump, become the 47th President of the United States, and build a better future for our country,” he said in a statement shared on X.