Tim Walz is the poster child of the American dream, highlighting on his campaign trail how a ‘small town boy’ rose from middle class farmer, to military veteran, teacher and now vice presidential nominee.
Minnesota Gov Walz, 60, accepted the Democratic nomination for vice president last night, using his DNC address to thank supporters for ‘bringing the joy’ to an election transformed by the elevation of his running mate, Vice President Kamala Harris.
But before the Nebraska-native – whose campaign is seemingly focused on his midwestern values – took the stage, his wife Gwen Walz introduced him in a pre-recorded eulogy which saw her gush about his successes on the farm, football field and floor of Congress.
She hailed his military service, dedication as a father, and career as a teacher and high school football coach, revealing that his ‘students inspired him to run’ for office.
Mrs Walz, 58, highlighted how her husband ‘worked with Republicans’ to help farmers, expanded veterans benefits and ‘fought for the largest tax cut in Minnesota state history’.
She also applauded how the life-long hunter and gun owner leapt into action after the Sandy Hook massacre, one of the deadliest school shootings in American history, and fought for ‘background checks’ and ‘red flag laws’.
Gov Tim Walz, (pictured, second from right) is a life-long hunter and gun owner who leapt into action after the Sandy Hook massacre, one of the deadliest school shootings in American history, and fought for ‘background checks’ and ‘red flag laws’, his wife touted last night in a pre-recorded eulogy which saw her gush about his successes
Tim and Gwen Walz (pictured together decades ago) met at a high school where they were both teaching. The pair shared a divided classroom, Mrs Walz revealed
Tim Walz, the Governor of Minnesota, is the poster child of the American dream, highlighting on his campaign trail how a ‘small town boy’ rose from middle class farmer, to military veteran, teacher and now a vice presidential nominee. He is pictured with his wife Gwen at the DNC last night where he accepted his party’s nomination
Gov Walz is seemingly running on a campaign of heartfelt, Midwestern American values, with his family touting the narrative last night at the DNC.
The White House hopeful grew up in a small Nebraskan town – with just 24 classmates in his graduating class – and spent his summers working on his family farm, Mrs Walz revealed in her introduction speech last night.
He served 24 years in the National Guard and rose to command Sergeant Major after enlisting in the Army after he turned 17. The Minnesota Governor had allegedly been inspired by his father’s service in the Korean War.
Gov Walz attended Chadron State College and graduated with a social science degree in 1989, according to his Governor’s Office biography. His wife also revealed that he studied under the GI Bill, which helps military members pay for school and cover expenses while training for a job.
He spent a year teaching overseas before returning to the US to serve full time in the National Guard and accept a job as a high school social studies teacher and coach.
Gov Walz served 24 years in the National Guard and rose to command Sergeant Major after enlisting in the Army after he turned 17
After graduating from college, Gov Walz spent a year teaching overseas before returning to the US to serve full time in the National Guard and accept a job as a high school social studies teacher and coach. He is pictured with some of the students he coached
Gov Walz has also made his family’s struggle with fertility a central part of his narrative, seemingly as a tangible way to connect with voters alarmed at the erosion of reproductive rights in the US. Pictured is Tim Walz playing with his daughter Hope during her childhood
According to his wife, the vice presidential hopeful is ‘as at home on a farm, a fishing boat, (pictured) a football field or a factory floor as he is on the floor of Congress’
Gov Walz, who taught for over 15 years, met his wife – also a teacher – at work when the pair were sharing a divided classroom.
‘We shared a classroom with the divider right down the middle. His classroom was a lot louder than mine, but I could hear how engaged his students were,’ she recalled.
Mrs Walz hailed her husband’s successes in the classroom, especially how he taught his students to ‘believe in themselves’ and that ‘we’re all in this together’.
‘He inspired his students, and he changed lives,’ she said, adding how as a football coach he ‘lead the team to a state championship after 0 wins just a few years before’.
But more importantly, Mrs Walz shared how the vice presidential nominee acted as an advocate for others.
The First Lady of Minnesota said: ‘When one of our students started the school’s Gay Straight Alliance, Tim agreed to serve as faculty advisor because he knew how impactful it would be to have a football coach involved.’
Mrs Walz further alleged that it was his students who ‘inspired him to run for Congress in southern Minnesota’.
Gov Walz attended Chadron State College under the GI Bill and graduated with a social science degree in 1989. He later earned a master of science in educational leadership from Minnesota State University in 2001. He is pictured at one of his commencement ceremonies
Gov Walz, during his DNC speech last night, said that his wife and children are ‘my entire world, and I love you’. He is pictured with his daughter Hope during her childhood
Gov Walz, who enlisted after being inspired by his father’s service in the Korean War, has dedicated his political career to helping farmers, expanding veterans benefits and even ‘fought for the largest tax cut in Minnesota state history’, his wife touted last night. He is pictured with military servicemen
Mrs Walz further alleged that it was Gov Walz’s students who ‘inspired him to run for Congress in southern Minnesota’. He is pictured teaching a social studies class
As a politician, Gov Walz was focused on ‘helping working people’, his wife claimed. He reportedly dedicated his efforts to helping farmers, small businesses and families.
The video applauded his work with strengthening gun laws, providing tax cuts and the passing of Minnesota’s ‘life-saving’ Alex Smith Insulin Affordability Act, which states that qualifying diabetics with less than seven days worth of insulin will pay no more than $35 to get a one-time 30-day supply of the drug from their pharmacy.
‘With Tim as governor, Minnesota is one of the best places to raise a family and one of the best states for business,’ Mrs Walz said, before adding: ‘But of all the things he’s done, Tim loves being a dad.’
The couple share two children, daughter Hope, 23, and 17-year-old son Gus, who is a high school senior. His parents recently disclosed to People magazine that Gus has a non-verbal learning disorder, ADHD and an anxiety disorder.
But they called his condition ‘his secret power’ and said he’s ‘brilliant’ and poised for success. The teen got his driver’s license last fall.
The family has been in the spotlight recently, with Hope having delighted Americans by sharing playful videos on social media that she filmed with their dad.
The video, which featured a video of Gov Walz and his daughter, showed the pair at what appears to be a fair and offers to buy Hope some food.
‘Corn dog?’ he asks, to which she replies, shaking her head: ‘I’m vegetarian.’
‘Turkey then,’ Gov Walz says, but Hope interrupts him: ‘Turkey’s meat.’
‘Not in Minnesota, turkey’s special,’ the Governor joked.
Gus also recently made headlines over how he cheered when his father was elected governor because it meant he could get a dog. The family adopted a black lab named Scout a few months later.
The family has been in the spotlight recently, with Hope having delighted Americans by sharing playful videos on social media that she filmed with their dad. Pictured is a clip from a heartfelt video in which Gov Walz jokes that vegetarian Hope should eat ‘turkey’ because it is ‘not meat in Minnesota’
Gus also recently made headlines over how he cheered when his father was elected governor because it meant he could get a dog. The family adopted a black lab named Scout a few months later
Gov Walz has also made his family’s struggle with fertility a central part of his narrative. Pictured is Hope Walz, as a child, holding her then-newborn brother Gus
Gov Walz has made his family’s struggle with fertility a central part of his narrative, seemingly as a tangible way to connect with voters alarmed at the erosion of reproductive rights in the US.
During her pre-recorded introduction last night, Mrs Walz also addressed the topic: ‘We struggled to have kids and fertility treatments made it possible. There’s a reason our daughter is named Hope. Hope and Gus mean the world to us.’
In March, after an Alabama court halted in vitro fertilization procedures in the state, Gov Walz decided to speak about the couple’s fertility struggles.
The same month, his team sent a fundraising email titled ‘our IVF journey’ sharing an article that referenced ‘his family’s IVF journey’ in the headline.
But earlier this month his Republican rival for the vice presidency, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, accused Gov Walz of having ‘lied about having a family via IVF. Who lies about something like that?’
Gov Walz later criticized Sen Vance, by saying, ‘If it was up to him, I wouldn’t have a family because of IVF.’
As a politician, Gov Walz was focused on ‘helping working people’, his wife claimed. He reportedly dedicated his efforts to helping farmers, small businesses and families. Pictured is a campaign effort during his Congressional run
The Walzes have further charmed Democratic supporters with his background and helped to balance Harris’ coastal roots as a cultural representative of Midwestern states whose voters she needs this fall. Gov Walz is pictured with small business owners
He has been targeting factory workers, farmers and other ‘working class’ Americans as he and Harris campaign for the White House. Gov Walz is pictured during a factory tour
Gov Walz during his speech last night praised the importance of being a ‘good neighbor’. He is pictured with apparent school children and educators
Gov Walz leaned into his experiences as a football coach and his time in the National Guard (pictured) during his DNC speech last night. He also recounted his family’s fertility struggles
On Tuesday this week, Mrs Walz issued a statement that detailed her fertility experience more comprehensively and disclosed that the couple relied on a different process known as intrauterine insemination, or IUI.
UI is often attempted before IVF but doesn’t face the same level of political controversy because it doesn’t risk destroying unused embryos that anti-abortion advocates say equate to unborn children.
‘Like so many who have experienced these challenges, we kept it largely to ourselves at the time – not even sharing the details with our wonderful and close family,’ Mrs Walz said in the statement. ‘She was a nurse and helped me with the shots I needed as part of the IUI process.’
Mia Ehrenberg, a campaign spokesperson, defended Walz’s comments and denied that he had been misleading.
‘Governor Walz talks how normal people talk,’ she said. ‘He was using commonly understood shorthand for fertility treatments.’
Gov Walz also addressed the topic in his DNC speech last night, saying: ‘If you’ve never experienced infertility, I guarantee you know someone who has.’
‘Hope, Gus and Gwen,’ he said to his family, ‘you are my entire world, and I love you.’
Hope made a heart with her hands and held it over her chest. Gus openly wept throughout the speech and wiped his eyes with tissues while watching from the front row. Through tears he mouthed, ‘That’s my dad.’
Gov Walz, pictured as a baby, grew up in a small Nebraskan town – with just 24 classmates in his graduating class
Many Americans had never heard of Gov Walz, pictured as an infant, until Vice President Kamala Harris made him her running mate
He spent his summers working on his family farm, Mrs Walz revealed in her introduction speech last night
He played football and track in high school. Pictured is Gov Walz, highlighted, in photos from his school yearbook
Gov Walz is pictured coaching a high school football match
The Walzes have further charmed Democratic supporters with his background and helped to balance Harris’ coastal roots as a cultural representative of Midwestern states whose voters she needs this fall.
‘Out here, in the wide open spaces, we are reminded of the values we share: a commitment to community, country, and standing up for what’s right,’ Mrs Walz said in her introduction last night.
‘He’s as at home on a farm, a fishing boat, a football field or a factory floor as he is on the floor of Congress.’
She added: ‘Tim’s commitment to service all comes back to the values we grew up with. Love your country, help your neighbor, and fight for what’s right because that’s what America is all about.’
Gov Walz, while accepting his party’s nomination for vice president last night, also touted a similar narrative.
‘We’re all here tonight for one beautiful, simple reason: We love this country,’ he said as thousands of delegates hoisted vertical placards reading ‘Coach Walz’ in red, white and blue.
Pictured left to right: Gov Tim Walz, his daughter Hope, son Gus and wife Gwen
Governor Walz is pictured alongside a Minnesota state trooper
Pictured are Walz supporters holding signs and campaigning on his behalf
Governor Walz, then Coach Wallace, is pictured wife a student football player
As Governor, he tried to help farmers (left) and veterans (right), his family told the DNC
Many Americans had never heard of Gov Walz until Harris made him her running mate, and his DNC speech was an opportunity to introduce himself.
He leaned into his experiences as a football coach, his time in the National Guard and his recounting of his family’s fertility struggles – all parts of his biography that Republicans have questioned in the days since Harris picked him.
He described his upbringing in Nebraska and teaching and coaching football in Minnesota and told the crowd, ‘Thank you for bringing the joy to this fight.’
But he also criticized former President Donald Trump and Sen Vance, and took several swipes at Republican policies.
‘While other states were banning books from their schools, we were banishing hunger from ours,’ Gov Walz said.
He added: ‘Some folks just don’t understand what it takes to be a good neighbor. Take Donald Trump and JD Vance.’
Harris, has also touted Gov Walz’s working-class narrative, telling a recent campaign rally: ‘Two middle class kids, one a daughter of Oakland, California. The other a son of the Nebraska Plains – only in America is it possible for them together to make it all the way to the White House.’
Democratic vice presidential nominee Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz celebrates with his daughter Hope Walz (L), son Gus Walz (2nd-L) and wife Gwen Walz (R) after accepting the Democratic vice presidential nomination on stage during the third day of the Democratic National Convention at the United Center on August 21, 2024
Gov and Mrs Walz share two children, daughter Hope, 23, (pictured with her father at the DNC last night) and 17-year-old son Gus, who is a high school senior. The couple recently disclosed that Gus (right, with Gov Walz at the DNC last night) has a non-verbal learning disorder, ADHD and an anxiety disorder
The Harris campaign said Gov Walz had worked on his speech for multiple days and he used a teleprompter for the first time, practicing to ensure he was prepared.
He told the crowd, ‘I haven’t given a lot of speeches like this but I’ve given a lot of pep talks.’
Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, has bashed the DNC as a ‘charade’ earlier and noted that he has been a frequent topic of conversation.
He also singled out his predecessor, former President Barack Obama, for a highly critical convention speech Tuesday night, saying Obama had been ‘nasty.’
