And the Field is Set
Hello and welcome back to another week of Politics Explained. If you are new here, we write weekly blogs about the happenings on Capitol Hill and in politics in a short blog. This week there is lots to go over, including Kamala Harris’s running mate and campaign and Cori Bush’s re-election. With so much to cover in a hectic election year, let’s dive right into it!
Kamala Harris has chosen Tim Walz, the Governor of Minnesota, to be her running mate* in the 2024 Presidential Election. This comes with lots of built up anticipation as to whether she was going to choose between Arizona Senator Mark Kelly, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, or Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. Tim Walz a progressive Democrat who was formerly a High School teacher, will be joining Kamala in her campaign. Walz is a dad to two kids of his own and has been the Governor of Minnesota since 2019. As more social media content comes out about Mr. Walz, it shows him in a setting of being a midwestern dad. Some very unique aspects of the Governor is he can speak Mandarin, is a Democrat from the rural midwest, and is a gun owner. It is hoped by the Harris campaign that Walz will help them with rural voters. Walz has also called out Donald Trump’s running mate, JD Vance for a Vice President debate. Here is a funny video of the Governor and his daughter at the State Fair.
As Vice President Kamala Harris has chosen her running mate, she has also been officially certified as the Democratic nominee for the 2024 election. She has become the nominee after getting a majority of the delegates’ votes in a virtual roll call. The Democratic National Convention Committee Chair Minyon Moore said, “With the support of 99% of all participating delegates in the virtual roll call, Vice President Harris has historic momentum at her back as we embark on the final steps in officially certifying her as our Party’s nominee.” Kamala Harris is now the Democratic nominee, which sets the stage for this fall as the Republican nominee Donald Trump will face Vice President Kamala Harris. So much more is still to come within the next few months, so stay with us to stay up to date on all of it!
Lastly, Cori Bush, a Representative from Missouri’s 1st District, has lost her re-election bid. Bush is one of the 9 members of The Squad and is the second Squad member to get ousted. If you do not remember what the Squad is, it is a group of House Members who are very progressive and far left-leaning. Cori Bush has also shown criticism of the Israel war in Gaza. Wesley Bell, a St. Louis prosecutor, will be taking her place this November in the general election. Bell was backed by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). According to Politico, the pro-Israel lobbying group AIPAC has pledged to spend more than $100 million to defeat progressive politicians who have expressed opposition to the conflict in Gaza.
*Definition of the Week (Running Mate): A person who runs with someone in an election.
