'I'm so proud of him': Tim Walz responds to son Gus' tearful reaction in viral moment

As a father, it meant the world for Minnesota Governor Tim Walz to see his son's tearful reaction to him accepting the nomination as Vice President Kamala Harris 's running mate at the Democratic National Convention earlier this month.

During a CNN interview alongside Harris that aired Thursday night, Walz said the unscripted moment, when his 17-year-old son Gus proudly shouted, "That's my dad!" is one of the many reasons he is grateful to be on the Democratic ticket.

"It's really important to have my son feel a sense of pride in me that I was trying to do the right thing," Walz told interviewer Dana Bash during a campaign stop in Savannah, Georgia. "It was just such a visceral, emotional moment that I'm just grateful I got to experience it, and I'm so proud of him."

The former school teacher said he hoped viewers at home hugged their "kids a little tighter."

The touching moment was broadcast on television screens when Walz delivered a speech and accepted his vice presidential nomination on the DNC stage on August 21.

Gus Walz , who has a nonverbal learning disorder as well as anxiety and ADHD, jumped up from his seat and pointed his index finger while tearfully saying "I love you, Dad," and "That's my dad!"

Harris surges ahead of Trump new poll

The CNN interview comes on the heels of major polling wins for the ticket.

A USA TODAY/Suffolk University Poll released Thursday found that Harris leads nationally 48%-43%, marking an eight-point turnaround from June, when President Joe Biden was the nominee.

The swing in the poll was fueled by parts of the traditional Democratic coalition “moving home” after the candidate swap and the DNC.

• Voters 18 to 34 years old moved from supporting Trump by 11 points to supporting Harris by 13 points, 49%-36%.
• Hispanics moved from supporting Trump by two points to supporting Harris by 16 points, 53%-37%.
• Black voters moved from supporting Biden by 47 points to supporting Harris by 64 points, 76%-12%.
• Voters making less than $20,000 moved from supporting Trump by three points to supporting Harris by 23 points, 58%-35%

A Reuters/Ipsos poll released Thursday found similar topline results , showing Harris ahead 45% to 41% among registered voters. In the poll Harris had a 13-point lead over Trump with women and Hispanic voters. A Wall Street Journal poll also released Thursday had the Vice President ahead 48%-47% in a head to head match up and 47%-45% when alternative candidates were included. A Bloomberg/Morning Consult poll released late Thursday had Harris either ahead or in a statistical tie in Midwestern and Sun Belt battleground states.

A Fox News poll of battleground states released Wednesday showed that the Democrats were slightly ahead in most Sun Belt battleground states.

The poll had the race at:

• Arizona: Harris 50% - Trump 49%
• Georgia: Harris 50% - Trump 48%
• Nevada: Harris 50% - Trump 48%
• North Carolina: Trump 50% - Harris 49%

The poll found that Trump equaled his 2020 vote percentage in the head-to-head race in every state except Georgia, while Harris meets or exceeds Biden’s 2020 vote share across the states.

Contributing: James Powel

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'I'm so proud of him': Tim Walz responds to son Gus' tearful reaction in viral moment