Vance says he called Walz to offer congratulations on VP pick

Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio), the GOP vice presidential nominee, said Tuesday he called Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) to congratulate him after Vice President Harris named Walz as her running mate.

“I actually on the way to the flight in Cincinnati, I guess, in northern Kentucky, I actually called Tim Walz, I left a voicemail,” Vance told reporters ahead of a campaign event in Philadelphia.

“I didn’t get him, but I just said, ‘Look, congratulations. Look forward to a verbose conversation and enjoy the ride.’ And maybe he’ll call me back, maybe he won’t,” he added.

Walz was selected as Harris’s vice-presidential pick earlier Tuesday, capping off a meteoric rise over the past two weeks. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) and Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) were others considered for the nod.

Vance separately criticized Walz and Harris, arguing the ticket was far to the left and noted “many, many people said repeatedly that the reason Kamala Harris was going away from the Josh Shapiro selection is because they were worried about antisemitism.”

The newly minted Harris-Walz ticket was formed quickly. Harris was endorsed by President Biden when he announced he would not run for a second term just more than two weeks ago.

Democrats quickly coalesced around Harris as the presidential nominee — throwing a curveball to the Trump campaign, particularly Vance, who was expecting to run against her as the parties’ respective running mate picks.

Walz’s pick as running mate is a notable win for progressives, who were hoping Harris would choose the Minnesota governor or Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D).

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