Kamala Harris names Minnesota governor Tim Walz as running mate

Kamala Harris, the de facto Democratic nominee for US president, has named Tim Walz, the governor of Minnesota, as her running mate ahead of the November election.

The decision ends speculation over who Harris would pick to go up against Donald Trump, the Republican nominee and former president, and his choice for vice-president, Ohio senator JD Vance.

Walz first ran for office in 2006 in a Republican-leaning congressional district, upsetting the incumbent.

In 2018 he won the Minnesota governorship in 2018, then again in 2022. Under his leadership, the state has seen massive progressive legislative wins in recent years, including universal  meals, legalized marijuana, abortion protections and gun control measures.

Before politics, he was a school teacher in Mankato, Minnesota, teaching geography to high school students. He also served in the Army National Guard for 24 years.