Kamala Harris selects Tim Walz as running mate ahead of joint rally in Philadelphia

Vice President Kamala Harris has selected Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate, CNN first reported.

Harris officially announced Walz as the Democratic vice presidential candidate on X several hours later.

I am proud to announce that I've asked Tim Walz to be my running mate," Harris wrote on X. "As a governor, a coach, a teacher, and a veteran, he's delivered for working families like his. It's great to have him on the team. Now let's get to work."

Walz was one of a few candidates shortlisted to be Harris' vice presidential candidate, the others including Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz.

Sources familiar with the decision said Harris chose Walz to help win over rural, white voters.

It is the honor of a lifetime to join Kamala Harris in this campaign. I'm all in," Walz wrote on X. "Vice President Harris is showing us the politics of what’s possible. It reminds me a bit of the first day of school. So, let’s get this done, folks! Join us."

A 60-year-old U.S. Army National Guard veteran and former teacher who grew up in Nebraska, Walz's personal and political profile balances that of Harris, who hails from the blue state of California.

Though Harris' running mate was relatively unknown just a few weeks ago, he gained popularity after an MSNBC interview in which he called Trump and Vance "weird," the inspiration for the Democrats' latest attack against Republicans.

"These are weird people on the other side," he said, inspiring a seemingly never-ending supply of memes.

As a former teacher and union member, he has become particularly known for his support of labor rights. Last fall, Walz joined striking auto workers on the picket line in Plymouth, Minnesota. He also signed one of Minnesota's most significant worker protection bills.

United Auto Workers (UAW) President Shawn Fain had earlier told CNN that Walz, along with Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, "resonate high"  with the UAW as VP candidates.

"Both of those men walked the picket line with our workers this past fall and they've always been there for working class people," Fain told CNN.

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., also put his support behind Walz, saying he would "speak up" for the working class.

Before Harris picked Walz as her running mate, Shapiro had appeared to be the front runner in the race. The Pennsylvania governor represents a divided battleground state with a high number of electoral college votes, but his support for Israel amid the ongoing war in Gaza drew criticism from progressives. 

"Vice President Kamala Harris has my entusiastic support — and I know that Governor Tim Walz is an exceptionally strong addition to this ticket who will help Kamala move our country forward," Shapiro wrote in a statement posted on social media. "I look forward to traveling all across the commonwealth to unite Pennsylvanians behind Kamala Harris' campaign to defeat Donald Trump, become the 47th president of the United States and build a better future for our country."

A former astronaut, Kelly was also believed to be a leading contender to be Harris' running mate, the Arizona senator enjoying the highest favorability rating of the three rumored finalists.

"Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz are going to move us forward," Kelly wrote on X after the VP announcement.  

Harris and Walz will appear together at a Philadelphia rally Tuesday night, followed by appearances this week in battleground states such as Michigan and Wisconsin.