Minnesota Governor Tim Walz was relatively unknown nationally before Vice President Kamala Harris selected him as her running mate. A recent NPR/PBS/Marist poll showed that 71% of Americans had never heard of him or did not have an opinion of him. In his home state of Minnesota, Walz is fairly popular, with a 54% approval rating among registered voters. On the other hand, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, another top contender for Harris’ running mate, was also relatively unknown, with 53% of Americans having not heard of him.
The poll also showed that Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance’s popularity has declined since being selected as former President Donald Trump’s running mate. Vance’s favorability rating dropped from 34% to 28% since July, with a combined 23% saying they haven’t heard of him or are unsure.
Harris’ selection of Walz has added to the turbulence of the 2024 presidential race, which has seen an assassination attempt on Trump, the Republican convention, and Biden’s exit from the campaign. Despite these developments, the 2024 race has been reset, with a more favorable political environment for Democrats according to public polling. Both parties will now be working to introduce and define Walz to voters as they prepare for their first rally together.
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