Kamala Harris' VP pick Tim Walz is a Bruce Springsteen fan, calls Boss an 'inspiration'
Vice President Kamala Harris just named Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate for the 2024 election — and apparently he's “Born to Run.”
The 60-year old Walz wore a Bruce Springsteen T-shirt to the 2023 Minnesota State Fair. When the Boss and the E Street Band played the Xcel Energy center in St. Paul on March 5, 2023, Walz declared it Bruce Springsteen Day.
“Springsteen's lyrics resonate with people across all walks of life,” reads the proclamation. “He has become an emblem of hope, compassion and unity, and Springsteen's songs celebrate the beauty and complexity of life, with its triumphs and tragedies and its joys and sorrows.”
Springsteen made a connection to the people of Minnesota, according to the proclamation, which called the Freehold native a “living legend.”
More: What are Kamala Harris' odds to be next U.S. president after picking Tim Walz as VP?
“Springsteen's music is a source of inspiration for many people in Minnesota, reminding us of the values we hold dear, including kindness, compassion and fairness,” the proclamation states.
Walz also formally recognized a few other music stars. He declared it Beyonce Day in July 2023, and signed a bill establishing the Prince Rogers Nelson Memorial Highway in Minnesota in May 2023 at the late musician's Paisley Park studio near Minneapolis.
“Minnesotans love Prince,” Walz said. “They love him to this day. They love what he stands for, and they love the idea that this genius, this global icon, can come out and have roots and be truly Minnesotan.”
When he made his debut with Harris at a rally in Philadelphia on Aug. 6, Walz referenced attending a Springsteen concert with Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro.
More: Bruce Springsteen Day proclaimed in Minnesota. Boss called emblem of hope and unity
My daughter, Hope, tricked me into doing the most extreme ride at the Minnesota State Fair. pic.twitter.com/YeMEocwJRv
— Governor Tim Walz (@GovTimWalz) September 4, 2023
Walz is a military veteran, former public school teacher, and six-term congressman who is currently serving the sixth year of an eight-year term as governor. He is married with two children.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy declared Springsteen's birthday, Sept. 23, “Bruce Springsteen Day” in the Garden State shortly after Minnesota proclamation on April 15, 2023.
Springsteen was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama at the White House in 2016.
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Chris Jordan, a Jersey Shore native, covers entertainment and features for the USA Today Network New Jersey. Contact him at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Tim Walz, Kamala Harris pick for VP, is a Bruce Springsteen fan
