INDIANAPOLIS -- Central Indiana political figures have spoken out regarding Vice President Kamala Harris choosing Minnesota's Democratic Gov. Tim Walz as her vice presidential candidate for November's general election.
According to previous reports, Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, announced her selection on Tuesday to supporters on social media. Harris praised his background, highlighting his experience as a veteran, an educator and his support for the middle class.
A recent poll from NPR/PBS News/Marist National found that around 71% of Americans were not familiar with Walz. Walz served six terms in the U.S. House of Representatives before he was elected governor of Minnesota in 2018. He was also the highest-ranking enlisted solider in the history of Congress, rising to the rank of sergeant major before he retired in 2005.
"(Walz) worked with Republicans to pass infrastructure investments. He cut taxes for working families. He passed a law to provide paid family and medical leave to Minnesotan families," Harris said in a statement on social media on Tuesday. "He made Minnesota the first state in the country to pass a law providing constitutional abortion protections after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, and as an avid hunter, he passed a bill requiring universal background checks for gun purchases. We are going to build a great partnership. We are going to build a great team. We are going to win this election. So let’s get to work."
After Tuesday's announcement, many Indiana political figures, including some in the U.S. Congress as well as those running for office in the state of Indiana, gave their opinions on Harris' decision.
Pete Buttigieg, a former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, the current secretary of transportation and a reported shortlist candidate for the vice president position, took to social media about the selection, stating:
"Tim Walz is an exceptionally effective governor - and also great to work with. I’m excited for what his Midwestern voice, military experience, and common-sense values will bring to our winning ticket, and for everything the Harris-Walz administration will deliver for Americans."
U.S. Rep. Rudy Yakym, R-Ind. District 2 said on social media that with the official Democratic ticket, it "offers American families nothing more than empty promises and the continuation of a failed agenda."
"Hoosiers are ready to elect Donald Trump and J.D. Vance in November," Yakym said.
U.S. Rep. Jim Banks, R-District 3, and the Republican nominee for Indiana's open U.S. Senate seat, said that he believes that the Harris-Walz ticket is "America Last."
"I served my first two years in Congress with Tim Walz on the House Veterans Committee. Walz opposed the most important pro-veteran legislation passed in decades just because it was President Trump’s," Banks said in a post on social media. "The Mission Act was very bipartisan but Walz opposed giving our veterans better access to health care because he didn’t want to give President Trump a win. Keep in mind, this is the same guy who wants to give illegal aliens free health care & drivers licenses. Walz is bad for our veterans and horrible for our country! Vote for Trump!"
U.S. Rep Andre Carson, D-District 7, provided support for the Harris/Walz ticket, stating it was an "excellent pick." Carson said he believes that the Democratic ticket "represents common sense principles all Americans can get behind."
"I think it represents the best that our country has to offer," Carson said. "The Midwest is represented. We often get overlooked, so, it's showtime."
U.S. Senator Todd Young, R-Ind. said he believes Walz will have a challenging time defending Harris' past policies.
"I also think that he's going to have a tough time defending on many fronts the Biden/Harris record, from inflation to the botched withdrawal from Afghanistan to the southern border," he said.
In a statement provided by U.S. Senator Mike Braun, R-Ind., and Indiana's Republican gubernatorial candidate, Braun highlighted Walz's "radical" policies that he implemented while he was governor of Minnesota.
“As Governor, Tim Walz signed radical bills giving illegal immigrants driver’s licenses and state-funded health care, allowed unlimited abortion up until the moment of birth, allowed boys to compete in girls’ sports and is wrong for our country," Braun said. "I am proud to support Donald Trump, J.D. Vance, and the Republican ticket who have solutions to fix the problems created by the Biden-Harris administration, which will Make America Great Again.”
Jennifer McCormick, the Democratic gubernatorial candidate and the former state superintendent of public instruction for the state of Indiana, said she was "so ready" for a Harris/Walz administration.
"Having a former educator/football coach/veteran/governor at the #2 is amazing," McCormick said in a statement on social media. "Educators at the top of the ticket make things happen. Let’s go!"
McCormick's statement of support mirrored the statement from the Indiana Democratic Party surrounding the Harris/Walz ticket. Indiana Democratic Party Chair Mike Schmuhl said that Walz's record has been "impressive" and has improved the lives of hard-working families.
“Tim comes from rural America, and will prioritize the small towns and cities throughout the industrial Midwest that are often overlooked," Schmuhl said in the statement. "He knows it’s time to end the fear and division in our politics and return to a politics of respect for our neighbors and the common good. We are so thrilled for our friend and the team that is forming behind Harris-Walz. Governor Walz has dedicated his life to serving others and he will make a fantastic running mate and eventual Vice President for President Kamala Harris.”
According to a news release announcing his candidacy, Harris said a number of things stood out to her about Walz.
"One of the things that stood out to me about Tim is how his convictions on fighting for middle class families run deep. It's personal," Harris said in the release. "As a governor, a coach, a teacher, and a veteran, he's delivered for working families like his own. We are going to build a great partnership. We start out as underdogs but I believe together, we can win this election."
This story will be updated as more information come in about Walz's selection.