HARTFORD, Conn. — Connecticut Democrats are seizing the momentum created by the announcement of a vice presidential pick, but the big question is will the momentum sustain and will the pick help or hurt the ticket?
The most accelerated VP search in presidential political history has come to a close and in the end, it wasn’t Josh Shapiro or Mark Kelly. It was Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who is reportedly a person Vice President Kamala Harris finds authentic.
On Tuesday, Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont, state party leaders and the state's Congressional delegation stood in enthusiastic solidarity behind the newly minted Harris-Walz ticket.
“God bless Harris. God bless Walz. God bless America. Go get 'em Dems!” yelled out Rep. John Larson.
The rally was held in front of the Hartford mural on Market Street depicting the potential next president of the United States, Kamala Harris.
“I have not seen a Democratic party more fired up and ready to go than I have seen in the last few days,” remarked Connecticut Comptroller Sean Scanlon.
Political experts said that while Walz was the darkest of dark horses, the choice makes strategic sense.
“He was just not on the map as of a very recent time,” said Connecticut College Professor Eric Fleury. “Within the context in which we are operating you have to take a calculated risk and this is someone who is well known within party circles.”
Walz is a two-term Midwest governor. He spent 12 years in Congress and is a national guard veteran, coach and teacher.
“The gift of putting a teacher in a position of authority is that as a teacher you learn how to love other people’s children,” explained Rep. Jahana Hayes, a former teacher in Waterbury.
Walz also chairs the Democratic Governors Association.
“You go to these governors meetings and they can be a little dry sometimes,” said Lamont. “Not if you’re sitting next to Tim Walz. This guy just makes you chuckle.”
The pick isn’t without risk and criticism.
“I think the most likely attack line he will face is relative to the George Floyd protests and being governor of Minnesota at the time; he’s already faced attacks that he did not respond to those protests with sufficient promptitude and force,” explained Fleury.
Republicans said Walz is too liberal.
“This is a governor who is a very far left progressive governor who probably fits very well with Vice President Harris’ far left progressive views,” noted Ben Proto, the chair of Connecticut’s Republican party.
Lamont, firing back at that criticism, said, “He had a $15 minimum wage. I did that. He had paid family and medical leave. We did that. He stands up strong for abortion rights. We did that. They accuse him of being to liberal, they accuse me of being too moderate. I think he’s got it about right."
Proto also said the pick doesn’t widen the ticket’s appeal beyond people who were already going to vote for Harris.
“The first rule of picking a vice president is do no harm. He clearly doesn’t hurt her with her base. I think some of the non base that she is going to have to go get will have some issues with his positions over the years,” said Proto.
There are just 92 days before Election Day and if there is one thing both sides agree on, it’s that the outcome will be determined by whoever does the better job igniting their base and expanding the electoral map.
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Matt Caron is a reporter at FOX61 News. He can be reached at mcaron@fox61.com. Follow him on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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