Tim Walz

Tim Walz
Walz in 2024
41st Governor of Minnesota
Incumbent
Assumed office January 7, 2019
Lieutenant	Peggy Flanagan
Preceded by	Mark Dayton
Ranking Member of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee
In office January 3, 2017 – January 3, 2019
Preceded by	Mark Takano (acting)
Succeeded by	Phil Roe
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Minnesota's 1st district
In office January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2019
Preceded by	Gil Gutknecht
Succeeded by	Jim Hagedorn
Personal details
Born	Timothy James Walz (1964-04-06) April 6, 1964 (age 61) West Point, Nebraska, U.S.
Political party	Democratic (DFL)
Spouse	Gwen Whipple ​ (m. 1994)​
Children	2
Residence(s)	Governor's Residence Eastcliff Mansion[1]
Education	Chadron State College (BS) Minnesota State University, Mankato (MS)
Signature
Military service
Branch/service	United States Army Nebraska National Guard Minnesota National Guard
Years of service	1981–2005
Rank	Command sergeant major
Unit	1st Battalion, 125th Field Artillery Regiment
Battles/wars	Operation Enduring Freedom
Awards	Army Commendation Medal Army Achievement Medal (2) National Defense Service Medal (2) Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Walz's voice Walz speaks in opposition to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Recorded November 15, 2017

Timothy James Walz (/wɔːlz/ ^ⓘ; born April 6, 1964) is an American politician who has served since 2019 as the 41st governor of Minnesota. He was the Democratic nominee for vice president in the 2024 U.S. presidential election and a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 2007 to 2019.

Walz was born in West Point, Nebraska. After high school, he joined the Army National Guard and worked in a factory. He later graduated from Chadron State College in Nebraska and then moved to Minnesota in 1996. Before running for Congress, he was a high school social studies teacher and football coach. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives for Minnesota's 1st congressional district in 2006, defeating six-term Republican incumbent Gil Gutknecht.

Walz was reelected to the House five times and was the ranking member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee from 2017 to 2019. He was elected governor of Minnesota in 2018 and reelected in 2022, holding office during the COVID-19 pandemic in Minnesota. During his first term, protests and riots related to the murder of George Floyd occurred. During his second term, he pushed for and signed a wide range of legislation, including tax modifications, free school meals, bolstering state infrastructure, universal gun background checks, codifying abortion rights, and free college tuition for low-income families.

On August 6, 2024, Vice President Kamala Harris announced Walz as her running mate in the 2024 election. Their ticket was defeated by Republican nominees Donald Trump and JD Vance.