What did Tim Walz say in his first appearance as a vice presidential candidate alongside Kamala Harris?

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who was selected as Kamala Harris’s vice presidential pick, joined her on the campaign trail on Tuesday night as the duo began pitching their vision for the country to the voters.

During their first rally as running mates, Vice President Harris introduced her running mate by discussing his background as an educator and high school football coach. Harris told the story of a high school student, one of the first openly gay students Walz taught, who approached him about starting a Gay-Straight Alliance club and asked if he would be the advisor. Walz, who had seen the student be bullied throughout, saw the importance of using his position of respect and authority within the school to stand by LGBTQ students at a time when being out could be a real danger. This was around the same time that college student Matthew Shepard was murdered for being gay at 21 years old.

“Bringing back the hope”

Walz spoke about his excitement and gratitude to be selected for the ticket and what motivates his politics. He began his brief speech by thanking the vice president for “bringing back the joy” and commending his rival in the veepstakes, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro. Introducing his family, he noted that his wife, Gwen, has taught for 29 years in Minnesota’s public schools and commented, “Never underestimate a teacher.”

As reproductive rights will be at the top of the mind for voters, he told the story their fertility story. After years of struggling to get pregnant, they turned to IVF and were able to welcome their daughter, Hope, into the world. With IVF under attack by some segments of the Republican party, Walz ensured that under a Harris-Walz administration, access to those healthcare services and abortion would be protected.

Attacks on Republicans

Towards the end of his speech, he attacked Donald Trump’s record and the “anti-freedom” agenda that he and JD Vance are running on. He mentioned that JD Vance had been involved in Project 2025, a conservative effort to ensure that a Republican president can quickly implement policies proposed by right-wing organizations like the Herritage Foundation. “His running mate shares his dangerous and backward agenda for this country,” said Walz. He continued his attack, calling out how Vance uses his Midwestern credentials when they suit him. “Like all regular people I grew up with in the heartland, JD Vance studied at Yale, had his career funded by Silicon Valley billionaires, and then wrote a best seller trashing that community,” said Walz.

Talking about his excitement to debate JD Vance, he said he was looking forward to it. “I can’t wait to debate the guy,” he added to a room full of applause, “that is if he is willing to get off the couch and show up.” This was a not-so-sly reference to the “couch controversy” that went viral on social media after the Associated Press published an article titled “No, JD Vance did not have sex with a couch.”

“These guys are creepy and just weird as hell,” said Walz, who gained popularity within the Democratic party for labeling Republican leaders as “weird” and “divisive.”

To close, he committed to having Vice President Harris’ back and that together, they would stand up for the American people.