WASHINGTON – Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate pick, will need to introduce himself to the vast majority of Americans. But his track record in his home state offers clues on what he might bring to the Democratic ticket.
In 2022, he won young voters in Minnesota, according to AP VoteCast, and he did well in the state’s union households, winning nearly 6 in 10 voters in that group. About half of Minnesota voters had a favorable view of Walz, and about 4 in 10 had a negative one.
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And although he didn't win among white voters without a college degree, he performed better among that group than Democrats nationwide. He won 44% of this group in Minnesota, compared to 32% among Democratic candidates nationally.
Harris is hoping Walz will strengthen the Democratic ticket in Midwestern states and among working class voters, despite his current lack of a national profile.
An ABC News/Ipsos survey conducted before Walz was selected for the VP slot, but after vetting began, showed that nearly 9 in 10 U.S. adults didn't know enough about him, or had no opinion. Among Americans with a view, opinions were split between positive and negative: 6% had a favorable view, and 7% had an unfavorable one.
The other finalists for the role — Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro — were more familiar to Americans nationally, according to an AP-NORC poll conducted in late July that asked the question slightly differently, although most didn’t know enough to have an opinion of them either.
Nearly 9 in 10 Democrats also didn’t know enough to have an opinion of Walz in the ABC News/Ipsos poll.
But his biography as a military veteran and former high school teacher — two broadly trusted professions — may also help him appeal to voters.
In addition to being a former teacher, Walz previously served in the Army National Guard. About 9 in 10 U.S. adults say they have a favorable opinion of military veterans, generally, according to another Ipsos poll conducted in 2024. About 8 in 10 say that about school teachers. Both measures are much higher than for government employees or elected officials. Republicans are slightly more likely than Democrats to have a positive view of veterans, while Democrats are a bit more likely to have a favorable opinion of those in a teaching career.
Gallup polling from 2022 found that high school teachers are generally held in high regard among Americans for their honesty and ethical standards. About half gave them at least a high rating on ethics.
Walz did lose among military veteran households in Minnesota in 2022, according to VoteCast. But while he also struggled among white men, a demographic that Democrats have sought to win back from President Donald Trump, he performed a little better among this group than Democrats nationwide.