Kamala Harris picks Tim Walz: Why her choice checks one very important box

Gov. Tim Walz hits a number of key constituency groups for Democrats in ways that can only benefit nominee Kamala Harris. First and foremost, he’s been a teacher.

Douglas E. Schoen has more than 40 years of experience as a pollster and political consultant. He served as an adviser to President Bill Clinton and to the presidential campaign of Michael Bloomberg. Schoen is founder and partner of Schoen Cooperman Research.

Beyond that, another positive is that he served in the Army National Guard for 24 years. When he was sworn in as a U.S. representative, Walz was the highest-ranking retired enlisted soldier to ever serve in Congress from either party. That might not seem like a big deal all these years later but for Harris to have a running mate from the Midwest who has been a teacher, a coach and served in the military – well, that checks a number of boxes that the former prosecutor and senator does not have and will not be able to easily attract on her own.