Harris chooses Tim Walz from Nebraska as his running mate

LINCOLN, Nebraska (KOLN) – Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday named Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, a native of Nebraska, as her running mate.

Walz was born in West Point, Nebraska, and spent most of his childhood in Valentine. When he was a sophomore in high school, he and his parents moved to Butte, Nebraska. The summer after graduating, Walz joined the National Guard.

Walz attended Chadron State College and graduated with a degree in social sciences in 1989. The following year, he participated in a program at Harvard University and taught in the People's Republic of China.

After returning from China, Walz served full-time in the Army National Guard and accepted a teaching and coaching position in Alliance, Nebraska. While teaching at Alliance Schools, he met his future wife, Gwen Whipple, a teacher and native Minnesotan.

In 1996, the couple moved to Gwen's hometown of Mankato, Minnesota, where they continued their teaching careers. Walz also helped coach the Mankato West football team, leading them to their first state championship.

Walz retired from the Army National Guard in 2005 after serving 24 years as Command Sergeant Major in the 1-125th Field Artillery Battalion. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2006 and served six terms representing Minnesota's First Congressional District.

During his time in Congress, Walz worked on the Farm Bill, the Lewis & Clark Regional Water System, Minnesota Highway 14, and the Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery in Preston, Minnesota. He also introduced the STOCK Act, which was designed to curb insider trading in Congress and passed with overwhelming bipartisan support in 2012.

Walz was elected the 41st governor of Minnesota in 2018 and secured re-election in 2022. After living in Mankato for years, Tim and Gwen moved to St. Paul with their two children, Hope and Gus, and their rescued dog and cat, Scout and Afton.

Jane Kleeb, chairwoman of the Nebraska Democratic Party, issued the following statement following Harris' election as vice president.

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