Sanders Says Possible VP Walz 'Understands the Needs of Working Families'

Ahead of a Saturday rally in Minneapolis, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders signaled support for Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris selecting Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her vice presidential candidate for the November election.

Sanders (I-Vt.) did not immediately endorse Harris last month after President Joe Biden dropped out of the contest against Republican former President Donald Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio). Sanders explained that "I just want to make sure that her campaign understands that for too many people in this country, when they look at Washington, D.C., they feel ignored. They feel insulted that people are not understanding what is going on in their lives."

As Harris on Friday officially secured enough delegates to get the Democratic nomination, Sanders attended a town hall in Mankato and spoke with Minnesota Public Radio host Tom Crann, who asked him about his positions on Harris and Walz—a vice presidential contender backed by a growing number of progressives and Democrats.

"I'm gonna do everything that I can to see that Donald Trump is defeated and that Kamala Harris will become the next president of the United States," Sanders said. "I think she has a strong record to run on along with President Biden and I think and believe that she is going to be speaking out not only on issues of climate change, not only on issues of women having the right to control their own body, not only protecting our democracy, but the needs of working families."

As for Harris' vice presidential pick, Sanders said: "Well, I had the opportunity to talk to your governor a few days ago and I am very impressed by him. I think you have an excellent governor who understands the needs of working families. So I hope very much that the vice president selects a running mate who will speak up and take on powerful corporate interests, and I think Tim Walz is somebody who could do that."

The Associated Press reported Friday that Harris' weekend interview list includes Walz, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), and Govs. Andy Beshear of Kentucky, JB Pritzker of Illinois, and Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania. Shapiro's record on climate, school vouchers, and Palestine has provoked impassioned warnings from progressives.

According to CNN, "renewed focus is being placed" on Walz, who is set to meet with Harris on Sunday.

Walz is a former teacher and coach who served in the Army National Guard and U.S. House of Representatives. Last year, he and state lawmakers with the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party passed nearly every item on a "transformational" agenda, including measures on free school meals at public and charter schools, marijuana legalization, and paid family and medical leave.

"There's a lot of pain out there. Working people are struggling and they're seeing massive levels of income and wealth inequality, and what they want is political leadership in Washington and all over this country to start paying attention to their needs," Sanders said Friday. "And that means, to my mind, a bunch of pieces of legislation that we've got to pass."

"The time is long overdue for Washington to stop worrying about the billionaires and their campaign contributors and start worrying about the needs of working families," he added, pushing for improvements to Medicare and Social Security.

After the interview and Mankato event, Sanders headed to Minneapolis for a get-out-the-vote rally with two Democrats who represent Minnesota in Congress—Sen. Tina Smith and Rep. Ilhan Omar—in anticipation of the state's August 13 primary.

Omar is facing a primary challenge from Don Samuels, a former Minneapolis City Council member. Sanders told MPR that "I think in Ilhan you have a member of Congress who really is one of the outstanding members. She's a woman of courage."

Sanders praised Omar—who earlier this year spoke on Sanders' podcast about coming to the United States as a refugee from Somalia—for her work to improve the lives of children and her criticism of the U.S.-backed Israeli war on the Gaza Strip.

Highlighting Omar's record of "representing the needs of working families in general," Sanders—who is up for reelection in Vermont this year—added that "I'm a strong supporter of Ilhan. I look forward to being with her tomorrow."

Minnesota-based Bring Me the News reported that during the Saturday event, "Sens. Sanders and Smith emphasized how important it was to encourage community members to vote in the presidential and primary elections."

"I am begging you this afternoon to remember that our struggle is not over when Kamala gets elected. We are taking on the greed of a billionaire class," Sanders said. "If we stand together as working-class people, we can win this thing."