Progressive Hollywood Goes Gaga for Tim Walz

Since Kamala Harris announced her VP pick as Minnesota governor Tim Walz on Tuesday, an unassuming former high school teacher and football coach, many big names have already voiced their support.

Walz wasn’t an obvious choice—he’s not as well known as others on the VP shortlist like Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro or Arizona senator Mark Kelly. The Daily Show voiced many people’s initial reaction when it sarcastically quipped with an Instagram post, “Congrats to Tim Walz, a man we definitely knew existed two weeks ago!”

But info about Walz made the rounds in a quick way, leading to a resounding yeehaw from some recognizable names in Hollywood. Film director Rob Reiner, a major Dem donor who joined the chorus for Biden to withdraw from the race with several choice words, shared his thoughts on the news, tweeting “Let’s kick ass!” this week. Sex and The City star Cynthia Nixon posted a cheery video thanking Harris for picking Walz and sharing that she was “Walzing on air” after hearing the news.

Charmed star and activist Alyssa Milano wrote on Twitter/X that Walz embodies “so many of the traits we try to instill in our kids,” and called him “smart, kind, thoughtful, empathetic, and patriotic” as she praised the Harriz-Walz matchup, while actress Amber Tamblyn took to X to call Walz the “antidote to the hatefulness of JD Vance” while praising the “excellent choice.”

Though he wasn’t well-known before the past few weeks, Walz is a well-respected governor popular in his state for signing progressive bills into law. Online clips show him signing a bill guaranteeing all students receive a free breakfast and lunch while surrounded by happy kiddos. He’s also been praised for his handling of the George Floyd case—which many have said led to a conviction for Floyd’s murder. And as he served in the Army National Guard for 24 years, Walz is the longest-serving military veteran to ever be chosen as a VP running mate.

And lefty celebs are eating it up. While actress Carrie Coon and comedian Larry Wilmore expressed their approval with clapping emojis, others like actress Back to the Future actress Lea Thompson described why she believes Walz was the right choice.

“I was born and raised in [Walz’s state] Minnesota and grew up with this common sense approach to government,” Thompson wrote on X as she reposted a montage of Walz's recent TV appearances. “For the people by the people. When it’s that cold you have to look out for each other,” so Walz must have the goods, she surmises: “I am over the moon.”

Meet Tim Walz, Harris’ VP Pick Who First Called Trump ‘Weird’

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