Kansas Governor Hails Walz as ‘Epitome of the Midwestern Dad

Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate is “the epitome of the Midwestern dad,” according to Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly, who is also the chair of the Democratic Governors Association. She said that his popularity would help the ticket in November’s election.

Kelly talked about Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” on Sunday. “You could put him at any state fair, on any Main Street, and certainly at any Friday night football game in rural Kansas, and he would fit right in,” Kelly said.

Last week, Harris chose Walz, a popular two-term governor, to be her running mate. In the days that followed, the two of them campaigned together in seven key states. Waltz is 60 years old and has been a high school social studies teacher, coach, lawmaker, and veteran. People from all over the Democratic Party are happy with the choice. The ticket has new life since President Biden decided to step down.

When asked if Walz’s ability to connect with people in the middle of the country has been overdone, Kelly made it clear that she doesn’t think so.

“I think we also need to remember that while Minnesota is a blue state, he represented in Congress for 12 years a very red section of Minnesota,” Kelly said. She added that “he understands rural Minnesota, he understands rural America, and I think that’s one of the reasons that he’s a huge asset to the Harris-Walz team.”

Kelly, who was twice voted as governor of a red state as a Democrat, talked about how the party can focus on winning back rural America. In recent years, support for Democrats has been falling among some groups that used to support them. She said it’s about doing what the people want and listening to them.

“While we label everybody red or blue, the fact of the matter is here in Kansas, we’re Kansans,” said Kelly. “If you are a Democrat, but you share the values of most Kansans, you just need to get out there, talk with them, get them to know you, you to know them, and then they’ll develop that trust and put it in you to run the state.”