LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Vice President Kamala Harris announced Tuesday she selected Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear was also on the shortlist of people being considered for the position, however, he was not one of three candidates who met with the VP for formal interviews in Washington D.C. on Sunday.
Shortly after the announcement, Beshear released a statement about the pick on social media, calling Gov. Walz "a great friend and a great choice."
In fact, Walz attended Beshear's inauguration ceremony in December 2023.
Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota, Gov. Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania and Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg were also being vetted by Harris' team in the past few weeks.
The 60-year-old Walz is a Midwestern governor, military veteran and union supporter who helped enact an ambitious Democratic agenda for his state, including sweeping protections for abortion rights and generous aid to families.
Harris, second gentleman Doug Emhoff and Walz are set to appear together for an evening rally in Philadelphia, recalling a joint 2020 appearance by Biden and Harris in Wilmington, Delaware.
After Tuesday’s trip to Pennsylvania, they will spend the next five days flying thousands of miles around the country touring critical battleground states. They’ll visit Eau Claire, Wisconsin, and Detroit on Wednesday and Phoenix and Las Vegas later in the week.
Planned stops in Savannah, Georgia, and Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, were postponed because of Tropical Storm Debby’s effects.
Beshear is the most popular Democratic governor in the United States. His ability to get elected in 2019 and reelected in 2023 in a deep red state likely drew Harris' interest.
Beshear won by five points last November. Donald Trump carried the state in 2020 by 26 points.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
