Many Americans had never heard of Walz until Harris chose him to join her ticket. In his first weeks of campaigning, he’s charmed supporters with his background as a teacher and football coach and helped to balance Harris’ coastal background as a cultural representative of Midwestern states whose voters she needs this fall.
But Walz also has faced scrutiny, including questions about embellishing his background. His wife this week clarified that she did not undergo in vitro fertilization, as Walz has repeatedly claimed, but used other fertility treatments. Republicans also have criticized Walz for a 2018 comment he made about carrying weapons in war. Though he served in the National Guard for 24 years, he did not deploy to a war zone.
Still, polling data shows that despite early hiccups, Walz has had a smoother launch as Harris’ running mate than Republican JD Vance, Trump’s pick for vice president.
About one-third of U.S. adults (36%) have a favorable view of Walz, while about one-quarter (27%) have a positive opinion of Vance, according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Significantly more adults also have an unfavorable view of Vance than Walz, 44% to 25%.
The week so far has been a balancing act for Harris and other Democrats to harness the exuberance that has swept over their party since President Joe Biden stepped aside while making clear to their supporters that the election will be a fierce fight.
In Chicago, the convention’s second day toggled between lighthearted celebration and more serious warnings. A symbolic roll call vote turned into a dance party, featuring surprise musical acts like Lil Jon, who performed “Turn Down for What,” his song with DJ Snake.
But former President Barack Obama also conveyed a more sober message in his keynote speech, saying, “Make no mistake, it will be a fight.”
“So much is on the line in this election,” Harris said Tuesday in Milwaukee, where she spoke at a professional basketball arena in battleground Wisconsin as the convention continued 90 miles away in Chicago. “And understand, this not 2016 or 2020. The stakes are higher.”
Harris will be back in Chicago on Wednesday for the convention’s third night.
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Associated Press writers Ali Swenson in New York and Chris Megerian in Washington contributed to this report.