Walz pick turns focus on what a VP brings to White House – 3 essential reads

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz speaks at a Biden-Harris campaign press conference on July 17, 2024, in Milwaukee, Wis. Jim Vondruska/Getty Images by Howard Manly, The Conversation Much is made of vice presidential choices, and Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris’ selection of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is no different. Well known for attacking Donald Trump and JD Vance as “weird,” Walz, 60, beat out a competitive field of Democratic options, including Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. A moderate Democrat, Walz served as a U.S. representative from 2007 to 2019 and is considered an appealing option for potential independent voters. Harris’ decision comes at a crucial time in the 2024 U.S. presidential election. With less than three months remaining, national polls suggest the race is very close – and Harris believes her choice of vice president will translate to votes in crucial swing states on Election Day. The Conversation U.S. has published numerous stories on vice presidents and whether their selections helped or hurt presidential campaigns. Here are a few of them. 1. What do vice presidents actually do? As political scientist Joshua Holzer noted, the U.S....