What You Need to Know about Tim Walz Before the 2024 Election

By Kaitlyn Fleming, Marshall University

Background 

 Tim Walz was born on April 6, 1964 in West Point, Nebraska, to a public school administrator and community activist. Inspired by the hard work of his father James F. Walz and mother Darlene Rose Walz, enlisted in the Army National Guard at the age of 17 and retired 24 years later as Command Sergeant Major. Walz earned a B.S. in social science education from Chadron State Caldron in Nebraska. After briefly teaching high school in China through Harvard University, Walz began teaching high school in Nebraska, where he met his wife, Gwen Whipple. Together, the couple have two children, Hope and Gus. 

The highest ranking enlisted soldier to serve in Congress, Walz has made enhancing the care of the nation’s veterans a core objective. In a statement released in response to the House of Representatives passing the S. 2372, the John S. McCain III, Daniel K. Akaka, and Samuel R. Johnson VA Maintaining Internal Systems and Strengthening Integrated Outside Networks Act of 2018, Walz said, “If we are to fulfill our nation’s moral obligation to care for those who have borne the battle, then it is our duty as a country to ensure each and every veteran has access to high-quality, affordable, and timely healthcare and services.” 

Walz began his career in politics in 2006 and most recently, Walz is Minnesota’s 41st governor, first elected in 2018 and re-elected in 2022. 

Tim Walz was first elected Governor of Minnesota in 2018 and was reelected in 2022. Photo courtesy of mn.gov

Vice Presidential Candidate

Kamala Harris announced Walz as her running mate on Aug. 6, 2024 and has since attended rallies across the country aiming to garner support. Throughout Walz’s time campaigning for vice president, he has not shied away from the “big dad energy” , a title given to him by several young Democrats. Walz leans into his “normal” side, earning respect and support of Americans across the nation. Harris’s choice of Walz was a strategic one. The choice was made in regards to Harris’s appreciation of Walz’s executive experience and his, “strong record of accomplishment for middle class families that models what we want to do nationally,” a source close to the selection process said. The Democratic vice presidential candidate made his campaign’s final pitch at a Wisconsin rally, telling voters their choices impact not just the immediate future, but the future of generations to come.

Tim Walz claps at a Harris/Walz Rally. Courtesy of Yahoo Finance

Economy 

Known for his Midwestern roots, Walz’s approach towards economic issues is reflected in his actions as governor of Minnesota. These policies include Walz’s enacting of the largest state Child Tax Credit in the country and introducing free school meals for Minnesota’s K-12 students. Walz said he supports, “the best child tax credit in the country,” or Minnesota’s CTC of $1,750 per child–the most generous state child tax credit in the U.S. The enactment of both of these programs raised taxes on higher earners in Minnesota, which mirrors a portion of the plans that the Harris-Walz ticket has introduced, including plans to increase taxes on high-earning corporations. In addition, Walz has aimed to aid not only Minnesota’s children, but Minnesota’s retirees. Walz eliminated Minnesota income taxes on Social Security benefits for nearly 75 % of beneficiaries. More specifically, couples who have an annual income of less than $100,00 and single beneficiaries who earn less than $78,000 are exempt from these state taxes on Social Security checks. Current Vice President Kamala Harris said that Walz plans to continue his theme of uplifting middle class Americans. 

Reproductive Rights

Walz’s stance on reproductive rights was spotlighted after his tour of Planned Parenthood with Harris–months prior to his selection as her running mate. Currently, the Harris-Walz ticket remains vocal about their support to abortion and fertility treatment access. In January 2023, Walz signed the law that made Minnesota the first state to pass a law protecting abortion rights after the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision in 2022. Likewise, Walz signed a second abortion-rights law that prohibits the arrest of abortion providers in Minnesota, as well as the individuals who travel to the state to avoid abortion bans. Throughout Walz’s campaign for vice president, he has remained a steadfast champion for reproductive freedom, reiterating the importance of women’s right to choose. 

Firearms

As governor of Minnesota, Walz signed several gun safety measures into law such as universal background checks. In addition, he signed a “red flag” law, a law that allows members of law enforcement to petition a judge if there are concerns around an individual’s use of firearms. Likewise, he introduced harsher punitive measures for people caught purchasing a firearm for an individual who is ineligible for gun ownership. In the 2024 vice presidential debate against Republican J.D. Vance, both Walz and Vance came to an agreement that law-abiding citizens deserve the rights to firearms. To parallel this Harris has claimed that she is a gun-owner and has no plans of confiscating firearms from law-abiding Americans. 

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz gets a hug from students after he signed into law a bill that guarantees free school meals for students in Minnesota’s public schools. Courtesy of Getty Images

Education 

Throughout his campaign for Vice President, Walz has remained true to his educator roots in regards to caring for children. Beyond his laws to introduce free school lunches for students K-12 in Minnesota, Walz signed a law that went into effect in January that requires public schools in Minnesota to stock free menstrual products in both girls’ and boys’ bathrooms. In addition, during Walz’s tenure, a program to make college free for students with annual earnings less than $80,000 free. In regards to the Harris-Walz campaign, both Harris and Walz said they intend to focus on supporting children both inside and outside of the schoolhouse.

Conclusion

Tim Walz’s journey from small-town America to potentially the White House highlights the politician’s commitment to public service. Ultimately, the choice of whether to support Walz and his running mate lies in the hands of each individual voter. No matter if an individual votes for the Republican or Democratic candidate, the state of the nation relies on each voter. Engaging in voting is not only a civic duty, but an opportunity to play a part in shaping the future for generations to come.