Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz gives no details on Harris running mate status

BLOOMINGTON, MINN. — Don't get your hopes up on any vice presidential news — Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz isn't spilling any details about his spot in the unofficial race, at least not yet.

At a Thursday morning press conference in Bloomington for a new gun straw purchase state law that goes into effect Aug. 1, the 60-year-old Democratic governor was tight-lipped about his standing to be Vice President Kamala Harris' running mate.

"I'm not going to talk on the specifics of that," Walz told reporters at the press conference, "I don't know if every high school geography teacher expects to be in this position."

Walz, who chairs the Democratic Governors Association, highlighted his close work and surrogacy for the Biden administration and President Joe Biden's then-reelection campaign, frequently taking to the airwaves to defend policy and the president.

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Harris is expected to make her pick within the coming days and will embark on a media blitz through various battleground states with her soon-to-be-announced running mate next Tuesday.

More: Harris leads in Minnesota polling; Trump loses grasp on flipping state red

The fast-tracked vetting process has included extensive background checks and interviews with the vice president's top picks.

"I'm not interviewing for anything; I just am who I am," Walz said. "I am incredibly proud of all of the folks who are out there."

Though he's not the favorite , Walz spoke positively about the vice presidential role at the press conference, appearing to still be interested in the opportunity despite other candidates, like Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly , topping the list of favorites who have already interviewed for the position.

Since the buzz around Walz's name has grown over the past week since Harris stepped up on the ticket, renewed scrutiny over his handling of the protests and riots that followed George Floyd's murder by a Minneapolis police officer in 2020 have come into the national spotlight.

"When you're serving in the moment on these things, you go back and look, and decisions were made in a situation, and it is what it is," he said at the press conference. "We try to do the best we can."

Walz called in the Army National Guard as violence erupted across South Minneapolis, causing more than $2 billion in damages. Trump falsely claimed he himself deployed the guard while campaigning in St. Cloud last weekend.

More: It's about to be official. DNC roll call begins to make Kamala Harris nominee

The former educator and veteran has set himself apart from his running mates with his quippy remarks and outspoken nature, already taking hits at former President Donald Trump's running mate, Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance.

"I grew up in a small town," he wrote in a post on X last month. "JD Vance is dead wrong about what makes small-town America tick. Small towns don’t work because everyone is closed-minded and prejudiced. They work because people mind their own damn business. JD Vance seems to have a real problem minding his."

It is unclear if Walz has been interviewed for Harris' running mate position yet, and he stressed that the decision for a Democratic vice-presidential candidate is up to Harris alone.

"That's a decision that needs to be made by the vice president, and she will make it on what she sees," Walz said. "I am who I am."

— Sam Woodward is the Minnesota elections reporting fellow for USA Today. You can reach her at swoodward@gannett.com , on X @woodyreports, or on Threads @samjowoody

This article originally appeared on St. Cloud Times: Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz gives no details on Harris running mate status