In the News · Posted 10 minutes ago Here's 19 Things You Might Not Know About Tim Walz There's more to him than just calling Republicans "weird." by Alana Valko BuzzFeed Staff Link Facebook Pinterest Twitter Mail Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris has officially announced her Vice President pick: Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. View this photo on Instagram @kamalaharris / Via Instagram: @kamalaharris Since you might be gathering intel on who Walz is, including his background and achievements, here are some fast facts to know: 1.
Timothy James Walz was born on April 6, 1964, in West Point, Nebraska, to Darlene Rose and James F. Walz. His father, a public school administrator, died of lung cancer when Tim was 19.
He has spoken out about how Social Security survivor benefit checks kept his family afloat after his father's death. Tim Walz / Via Facebook: govwalz 2. Walz enlisted in the Army National Guard at age 17 in 1981 and served in the volunteer force for 24 years.
In 1989, he was named Nebraska Citizen-Soldier of the Year. He's a decorated veteran, earning an Army Commendation Medal and two Army Achievement Medals. Today marks the 41st anniversary of raising my right hand to serve in the National Guard – one of the best decisions I ever made.
To all our service members: Thank you for your continued sacrifice for our state and nation. pic.twitter.
com/zN1ml1Cwd0 — Governor Tim Walz (@GovTimWalz) April 8, 2022 @GovTimWalz / Via Twitter: @GovTimWalz 3. In 1989, Walz earned a Bachelor of Science in social science education from Chadron State College. He earned his Masters of Science in educational leadership from Minnesota State University, Mankato, in 2001.
Walz often credits the GI Bill with helping him attend college. Tasos Katopodis / Getty Images 4. After receiving his bachelor's degree, Walz spent a year teaching in China through a Harvard exchange program.
Upon returning, he took a job teaching in Nebraska and met his wife, another fellow teacher, Gwen Whipple. They married in 1994 and moved to Minnesota, Gwen's home state, in 1996. Today, Gwen and I are celebrating our wedding anniversary! In 1994, on this day, we were surrounded by our family and dear friends.
Today, we remain most grateful for them and each other! pic.twitter.com/esbnuuUlu7 — Governor Tim Walz (@GovTimWalz) June 4, 2022 @GovTimWalz / Via Twitter: @GovTimWalz He reportedly still peaks some Mandarin.
5. In Minnesota, Walz worked as a geography teacher and football coach at Mankato West High School. He coached the football team to its first state championship in 1999.
He was also the faculty advisor for the first gay-straight alliance at the high school. @KFile / Via x.com He told the Star Tribune that at the time — three years after Bill Clinton signed a law forbidding same-sex marriage — it was important to have "the football coach, who was the soldier and was straight and was married," as the faculty advisor.
6. His former students have spoken out in support of him. just a great big hell yes to all of this.
I was a slacker who didn’t fit in or like the place I grew up very much. my locker was outside of his room senior year. he checked in on me.
he recommended books. he encouraged me. he treated my thoughts as valuable.
Mr. Walz was the best https://t.co/R6qebTVWjY — SM (@SmMcCllgh) August 6, 2024 @Hobbs_Duluth / Via Twitter: @SmMcCllgh 7.
Walz says he got involved in politics after allegedly being denied entry to a George W. Bush speech because the students he brought had previously volunteered for the democratic party. "My students, regardless of political party, deserved to witness the historical moment of a sitting president coming to our city," he wrote .
"It was at this moment I decided to run for office." @Tim_Walz / Via x.com 8.
Walz first ran for Congress in 2006 in a Republican-leaning, largely rural district of southern Minnesota and won in an upset against the incumbent Republican Gil Gutknecht. He served six terms in the U.S.
House before successfully running for governor of Minnesota in 2018. Stephen Maturen / Getty Images Walz was also the highest-ranking enlisted soldier ever to serve in the U.S.
House. 9. Walz has been outspoken about reproductive health care.
He signed a broad abortion rights bill into law that made Minnesota the first state to codify abortion rights after Roe was overturned. He's also spoken in support of fertility treatments like IVF. He and his wife went through seven years of fertility treatments before having their daughter in 2001, whom they named Hope in honor of their fertility fight.
Tim Walz / Via Facebook: govwalz "My oldest daughter's name is Hope, and that's because my wife and I spent seven years trying to get pregnant and needed fertility treatments, things like IVF, things that they would ban," Walz said on a fundraising call this week. Walz and his wife have two children, Hope, 23, and Gus, 17. 10.
Walz is a hunter and gun owner and was even once endorsed by the NRA , but his views on guns have since evolved. This is in part because of his daughter Hope, who asked him to do something about gun violence after the Parkland shooting. Since then, he's spoke out in favor of an assault weapons ban and signed laws for stricter gun control measures .
It’s true. I’m a veteran, a hunter, and a gun owner. But I’m also a dad.
And for many years, I was a teacher. I know basic gun safety isn’t a threat to my rights. It’s about keeping our kids safe.
I had an A rating from the NRA. Now I get straight F's. And I sleep just fine.
https://t.co/R3ZX4A35GB — Tim Walz (@Tim_Walz) July 27, 2024 @Tim_Walz / Via Twitter: @Tim_Walz "As a veteran, gun owner, hunter, and dad, I know basic gun safety isn't a threat to the Second Amendment. It's about keeping our kids safe," Walz said in a press release after signing gun safety measures into law in Minnesota.
11. Despite historically being more moderate in the House, some have called Walz one of the most progressive picks for VP because of the policies and laws he's enacted as governor. Last year, Walz signed into law free breakfast and lunch for all Minnesota students.
I’ve seen the popular image of Tim Walz being hugged by the kids when signing the bill for free breakfast and lunch at schools, but this is my first time seeing the video and it’s very sweet. pic.twitter.
com/PXEToDoG8v — Erick Fernandez (@ErickFernandez) August 6, 2024 @ErickFernandez / Via Twitter: @ErickFernandez To the critics who would argue against free lunches or call him a "big government liberal," Walz said jokingly, "What a monster. Kids are eating and having full bellies so they can go learn, and women are making their own healthcare decisions." 12.
Walz instituted a paid medical and family leave act that allows Minnesota workers up to 12 weeks a year off with partial pay to care for a newborn or a sick family member. He also signed legislation that provides funding for free tuition at public colleges for students whose families earn less than $80,000 a year. Walz signed into law a financial aid program giving free college tuition to students whose families made less than $80k a year.
The law had such an impact that North Dakota State University, fearing competition, began offering the same incentive. https://t.co/7cRjO6COAb — More Perfect Union (@MorePerfectUS) August 6, 2024 @MorePerfectUS / Via Twitter: @MorePerfectUS 13.
He's also legalized recreational marijuana and expanded protections for LGBTQ+ people , including access to gender-affirming care. Star Tribune via Getty Images 14. And he's been an advocate for tackling climate change .
In 2023, he signed a bill into law that requires Minnesota utilities to get 100% of their electricity from carbon-free sources by 2040. We’ve struck a blow against climate change by putting Minnesota on a pathway to 100% clean energy by 2040. Now we’re ready to leverage Inflation Reduction Act funding to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and keep Minnesota a great place to raise a family for generations to come.
— Governor Tim Walz (@GovTimWalz) April 4, 2024 Twitter: @GovTimWalz 15. Walz is credited with starting the recent "campaign of weird" against Donald Trump, JD Vance, and the Republican party. He's been calling them "weird" since at least February and had a bit of a viral moment after going on MSNBC.
I’m telling you: these guys are weird. pic.twitter.
com/fvNRNf7T7T — Tim Walz (@Tim_Walz) July 24, 2024 MSNBC / Via Twitter: @Tim_Walz Walz said "weird" works because it strips Trump of having too much credit and power. "I think one of the things is [to] just ratchet down some of the scariness and just name it what it is," he told CNN. "That is weird behavior.
And I don't think you call it anything else. It is simply what we're observing." 16.
Walz has been sober for 27 years after receiving a DWI in 1995, which he called a "gut-check moment." He was pulled over for speeding and failed a sobriety test. Stephen Maturen / Getty Images At the time, his wife told him, "You have obligations to people.
You can’t make dumb choices.” 17. Now, his preferred drink of choice is Diet Mountain Dew.
Tim Walz is also a huge Diet Mountain Dew fan. pic.twitter.
com/p7S714goy1 — Robert Downen (@RobertDownen_) August 5, 2024 @GovTimWalz / @RobertDownen_ / Via Twitter: @RobertDownen_ People are already calling for a Dew-off with JD Vance (who previously suggested in a bad joke that Democrats would call Diet Mountain Dew racist). 18. And lastly, he's a rescue cat dad.
.. View this photo on Instagram @mngovernor / Via Instagram: @mngovernor 19.
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and a rescue dog dad! View this photo on Instagram @mngovernor / Via Instagram: @mngovernor Share This Article Link Facebook Pinterest Twitter Mail Comments.
