Harris was reportedly deciding between Gov. Walz of Minnesota and Gov. Shapiro of Pennsylvania

Nancy Pelosi denies Harris running mate Tim Walz is ‘on the left’

Former Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi pushed back on the notion that Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz was a progressive after Vice President Harris chose him as her running mate.

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi reacted live to Vice President Harris’ decision to pick Gov. Tim Walz, D-Minn., as her running mate. She called him a “wonderful” choice, while addressing critics who argued he was too far left. 

“Tim Walz is wonderful. She had many good choices. Tim Walz I know very well. He served in the House. To characterize him as left is so unreal. It’s just not, he’s right down the middle. He’s a heartland of America Democrat,” she shared on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”

The 60-year-old Walz, a former congressman, is in his second term as governor of Minnesota, a Democratic-leaning state that the Trump campaign has aimed at flipping this cycle. No Republican presidential candidate has won Minnesota since 1972. Despite Walz’s progressive record, Pelosi described him as “right down the middle.”

“Really it’s mystifying to me to see someone that I worked with, shall we say right down the middle, characterized on the left. He has her confidence, obviously. That was the decision that the presidential nominee, soon-to-be president of the United States, has made. I respect her decision. I respect all the rest,” she said, reflecting on Harris’ other potential VP picks.

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi remarked on Harris selecting Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate live on “Morning Joe.” (Screenshot/MSNBC)

“He has a great vision for our country. It’s about working-class families, about rural America, about our veterans. He has won for governor two times in Minnesota. Reverend [Al] Sharpton discussed his decisions during the George Floyd tragedy. We respect the judgment of our nominee for president. Her comfort level is our comfort level,” Pelosi continued. 

Walz was elected to the House in 2006 and re-elected five times, representing Minnesota’s 1st Congressional District, a mostly rural district covering the southern part of the state that includes a number of midsize cities. 

During his last two years on Capitol Hill, Walz served as the ranking member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz speaks to the press after attending a meeting with President Biden and other Democratic governors at the White House, July 3, 2024.  (Reuters/Elizabeth Frantz)

Walz recently referred to his competition, former President Trump and Sen. JD Vance, as “weird.” 

“These guys are just weird,” Walz remarked during a recent campaign event for Harris. 

“The fascists depend on us going back, but we’re not afraid of weird people,” Walz said. “We’re a little bit creeped out, but we’re not afraid.”

Walz was also criticized for encouraging men on a “White Dudes for Harris” phone call to embrace their progressive values. 

“Don’t ever shy away from our progressive values,” the Minnesota Democrat said on the call. “One person’s socialism is another person’s neighborliness.”

Harris was also reportedly considering Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., among other possibilities.