US ELECTIONS
Who is Gwen Walz? Harris’ vice presidential candidate’s wife
Gwen Walz and Tim Walz met teaching high school and in January they could be serving in the Harris-Walz adminstration.
On Night 3 of the DNC convention in Chicago, those in the stadium and those tuning in at home will hear from Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who was selected as Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate.
As the spotlight narrows in on the slots at the top of the ticket, one’s family, particularly one’s spouse, comes into the public’s focus. Gwen Walz, the wife of Governor Walz, has been subject to scrutiny, but nothing will compare to the attention she is currently receiving. Here’s everything you need to know about Gwen Walz, the lifelong educator who could be the next second spouse.
Who is Tim Walz’s wife?
Walz was born in Glencoe, Minnesota, and grew up alongside three sisters. Her biography on the Minnesota Governor’s website says her parents worked as small business owners and teachers, and she would follow them in the latter pursuit. She completed her education at Gustavus Adolphus College and Minnesota State University and would go on to teach high school English.
As a teacher, Walz has experience working in diverse settings, including public, alternative, and migrant schools and prisons. For more than two decades, she also served as an administrator and coordinator for the public school district of Mankato, Minnesota. If the Harris-Walz ticket is elected in November, Gwen Walz could continue her work and advocacy on advancing the quality of education offered in US prisons.
Her official biography page says Gwen met Tim when she “began her English teaching career in western Nebraska. Soon after they met, Gwen and Tim established a summer trip to China for their students and traveled there nearly every summer through 2003.”
“Gwen has been working passionately to build a more just and equitable world”, says her biography before adding that she is has worked hard “ from teaching at prisons and promoting criminal justice reform, to advocating for the LGBTQ movement.”
The couple have two children: Hope, a Montana State University graduate, and Gus, who is still in high school. Today, the couple live in St. Paul with their children. The couple owns no assets aside from those that form part of the public pensions. When Tim Walz won the governorship in 2018, the couple sold their house, given that they would be living in the governor’s residence.