Good morning. Kamala Harris has chosen her vice-presidential nominee – and her pick has prompted a new wave of excitement among progressive Democrats. Tim Walz, a former school teacher and veteran of the army national guard who has been the governor of Minnesota since 2016, was barely a figure on the national stage until a few weeks ago – but his folksy appeal and the success of his attacks on “weird” Republicans have thrust him to the top of the Democratic ticket.
Many thought that Harris would pick Josh Shapiro, the governor of Pennsylvania, in the hope of bolstering her chances in his crucial home state. But in Walz, Harris will hope she has a running mate who can take the fight to Donald Trump and JD Vance across the battleground states – and inspire the party faithful with what he calls the “politics of joy”.
