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Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is set to deliver his first speech as the newly minted running mate of Vice President Kamala Harris at a rally in Philadelphia on Tuesday evening.
“I couldn’t be prouder to be on this ticket, and to help make Kamala Harris the next President of the United States,” Walz is planning to say, according to excerpts of his speech. “She brings joy to everything she does.”
Walz will also mention his Midwest background, which Democrats see as an advantage for the ticket, potentially having an appeal to rural voters.
“I was born in West Point, Nebraska and lived in Butte, a small town of 400 where community was a way of life,” Walz will say. “Growing up, I spent summers working on the family farm. My mom and dad taught us to show generosity toward your neighbors and to work for the common good.”
The Pennsylvania rally is the first joint public appearance of the new Harris-Walz ticket, which the campaign officially announced Tuesday morning.
In the hours since, the campaign has released new Harris-Walz merchandise, several advertisements introducing the new name on the ticket and social media statements.
The campaign said it raised $10 million in donations after Walz was announced, a drop in the bucket relative to the $310 million the campaign hauled in July alone.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz introduces Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) during a campaign rally at First Avenue on January 17, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Stephen Maturen | Getty Images
Over the past two weeks, Walz went through an accelerated VP vetting process, along side fellow contenders like Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear.
Shapiro, reportedly the second-strongest contender, joined the Harris-Walz rally in his home state Tuesday evening and gave a roaring speech supporting the ticket, despite ultimately being passed up for the VP job.
“I’m gonna be working my tail off to make sure we make Kamala Harris and Tim Walz the next leaders of the United States of America,” Shapiro cried out to an amped-up crowd. “Tim Walz is a great patriot. I’ll tell you what else: Tim Walz is a dear friend.”
Harris’ running mate decision punctuated a weeks-long frenzy to pivot the Democratic ticket after President Joe Biden dropped out of the race following his dismal June debate performance against Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
