Election 2024

Walz to visit New Hampshire Sunday ahead of Harris’ VP announcement

a man waves to the crowd from a stage
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz speaks June 1 during the 2024 DFL State Convention held at the Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center in Duluth.
Erica Dischino for MPR News

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz will be in New Hampshire this weekend on behalf of Vice President Kamala Harris' presidential campaign.

A Walz adviser says the governor will appear at organizing kickoffs and smaller-scale rallies in New Hampshire on Sunday. He is no stranger in New Hampshire. He was in the Granite State for a Democratic fundraiser earlier this year.

Harris has picked up on Walz’s choice of the word, “weird,” to describe the Donald Trump-JD Vance GOP ticket. And speculation continues to mount over whether Harris will ask Walz to join the Democratic ticket as her vice presidential running mate.

Walz has been a frequent guest on national news programs in recent days. And former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi appears to be Walz fan. A source familiar with the California Democrat’s thinking told The Hill she “is always especially fond of former House colleagues” when asked about Harris’s running mate, a nod to Walz.

In public remarks Thursday after an unrelated press conference, Walz didn’t acknowledge being in the final mix. But he said it’s been surreal being part of a shortlist of candidates considered. He avoided questions about whether Harris’ campaign is vetting him for the post or requesting an interview.

“I’m not interviewing for anything, I’m just am who I am and put it out there,” Walz said. “I think that’s a decision that needs to be made by the vice president, and she will make it [based] on what she sees.”

Walz, a two-term governor and former six-term congressman, is said to be among a group of Democratic governors, including Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, in the running. Harris’ campaign is also considering U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly, of Arizona.

Harris is expected to announce her pick for vice president in the next few days.

MPR News political reporter Dana Ferguson contributed to this report.