Within a day of Democratic presidential presumptive nominee Joe Biden announcing U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris as his pick for vice president, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan have officially endorsed the pair’s presidential ticket.
In a Wednesday news release the state’s two highest-ranking Democrats officially threw their support behind the former vice president and California senator. With Minnesota’s primaries now complete, the move marks a transition to state Democrats’ focusing in on November’s General Election less than three months away.
In his endorsement, Walz referenced his 12 years representing Minnesota in the U.S. House, eight of which were during the Obama-Biden administration. In those years, he said he was able to “witness (…) first-hand” Biden’s commitment to working families, and work with the then-vice president on legislation to rebuild America’s post-Great Recession economy.
“I am proud to support Joe Biden because I know he’ll fight for all Minnesotans, unify our state, and help make our vision for One Minnesota a reality,” Walz said.
And of Harris, Walz said he “cannot think of someone more well-suited for the role” of vice president. He specifically pointed to her roles on the Senate Intelligence and Judiciary Committees, saying her voice “has been critical to our nation’s security, both at home and abroad.”
“This country has experienced a turbulent last four years, but through it all, Sen. Harris has been a shining light through the darkness,” he said.
Flanagan also in her endorsement pointed to Biden’s past work in Washington like passing the Violence Against Women Act, and said if elected president, Biden will “continue to champion issues that impact everyday Minnesotans.”
“Joe Biden not only believes in an economy where every American can participate fully, but he also understands that the strength of America is our diversity,” she said. “That’s why he’s pledged to make his Cabinet look like America and why he’s proposed bold and comprehensive plans in partnership with communities of color.”
Flanagan, who is a member of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe, also said that should Biden prevail against incumbent Republican President Donald Trump, “Indian Country will once again have a friend in the White House.”
“For Minnesota’s Native communities, that means historic investments in our education and health care systems, providing more economic opportunities, and honoring the sovereignty and supporting the prosperity of tribal nations,” she said.
With Biden’s official selection on Tuesday, Harris has already made history as the first woman of color to appear on a major political party’s presidential ballot. And should their ticket win, she will be the first female vice president in U.S. history. Flanagan herself is Minnesota’s first woman of color elected to statewide executive office, and the second Native woman in the U.S. history elected to executive office nationwide.
Flanagan said Wednesday that when she showed her own daughter a photo of Harris, “her face lit up.”
“Sen. Harris’s leadership is a bright light to young girls of color across the country,” Flanagan said. “As someone who knows a little something about what it means to be second in command, I know she’ll be ready for this role on day one.”
Other Minnesota Democrats were quick to support Harriss pick as vice president. Former presidential candidate and current U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar on Tuesday called Harris “a good friend and incredibly strong public servant,” and said via Twitter she “has what it takes to lead” with Biden. Later Tuesday night on Fox News, she responded to Trump’s calling Harris “nasty” earlier in the day, saying, “I just think that’s crap.”
Fellow Democratic U.S. Sen. Tina Smith also congratulated Harris in a Tuesday tweet, saying she is “a fighter for the people, and I’m confident that she’ll be a champion for all Americans as our next Vice President.”
Biden won Minnesota’s presidential primary in March, beating out second-runner U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders by approximately 9 percentage points. Biden has been buoyed in the Land of 10,000 Lakes thanks to the support of Klobuchar, who suspended her own presidential bid on Super Tuesday’s eve and threw her support and campaign network behind Biden.
Minnesota has the nation’s longest run of electing Democratic presidential candidates, but Trump’s re-election campaign is eager to snap that streak in November, pointing to the president’s single-digit loss to Hillary Clinton in the state in 2016. Biden’s campaign appears to take the potential for swing seriously, recently having poured $280 million in campaign advertising dollars in 15 purple states, including Minnesota.