Good afternoon,

We're WALZing on sunshine today after Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris's announcement that she has selected Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate.

Walz is a former social studies teacher and football coach who spent 12 years in Congress representing a southern Minnesota district that he flipped from red to blue. Since being elected Governor, Walz has managed to enact a wide range of victories for Minnesotans, notably creating a state paid family and medical leave program and helping the state achieve a ranking of sixth in the nation for business.

His achievements include signing the Protect Reproductive Options (PRO) Act, making Minnesota the first state to codify abortion rights in the wake of the Dobbs decision, and the Reproductive Freedom Defense Act, a law that shields women and providers from legal action coming from states with abortion restrictions. He has also helped make Minnesota a refuge for the LGBTQ+ community, increased safety measures and background checks in gun purchases, and ensured free school meals for K-12 students.

Here's why Walz works for rural America...

WALZING IN

• When President Biden stepped out of the 2024 presidential election, he threw his support behind his vice president, who stepped up to the plate with an outpouring of support from everyone from first-time donors to international pop stars.

• The number of new voter registrants surged as a result of the news. As Harris's momentum grew, so did the questions about who would round out her ticket.

• Walz answered the call. The Midwestern governor's track record of fighting for working families – and securing wins for them – only achieved national attention in the wake of his comments (rightly) branding the Republican Party's policy platform as "weird."

• Republicans have engaged in cultural wars that invade Americans' privacy, overturn our fundamental rights, and harm our neighbors – extending their overreach into doctor's offices, classrooms, school bathrooms, and more. Walz has another vision for how government can work to uplift families' common needs, not turn communities against one another over their differences.

• In addition to his legislative record, his approachability, and his overall Midwestern pragmatism, Walz has generated excitement from young voters – a bloc Democrats have been looking to re-engage, and who will play a crucial role in this election.

EKE IT OUT AS A RURAL ENTREPRENEUR, AND OTHER ECONOMIC GOINGS-ON

• Voters trust Harris more on the economy even more than they do Biden. Under their administration, the labor market has seen historic growth as it has rebounded from the COVID-19 pandemic and more.

• Yet the latest Jobs Report – and subsequent stock market sell-off – is the springboard for the Trump ticket's latest attack on the Harris-Walz campaign, as JD Vance called for "steady leadership — the kind President Trump delivered for four years." The New York Times noted: Mr. Trump's presidency included a rapid descent into a pandemic recession in 2020, including a steep drop in the stock market that was followed by a rebound that summer.

• What does this mean for the rural economy? Costs of essential goods are still high across the board. While women have been leading the back-to-work charge – and starting their own businesses – self-employment and entrepreneurship rates among women and Black people are lagging that of white men, especially in rural areas.

• Part of the excitement for Harris has been brought by voters' need for a fresh set of ideas. The Biden-Harris administration has brought new gains to many "left-behind" counties, but a continued focusing of investment into rural regions – alongside programs that encourage entrepreneurship amongst women and people of color – is necessary to help contribute to rural revitalization.

• Tonight, Harris will hold her first campaign rally with Walz at Temple University in Philadelphia. Pennsylvania is a critical swing state with 19 electoral votes. Harris has been gaining approval in battleground states' polling. Tonight's rally begins her tour, which will include Wisconsin, Michigan, North Carolina, Georgia, Arizona, and Nevada.

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