St. Paul, Minnesota - Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is now running alongside Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential race, but can he help the vice president keep Republican challenger Donald Trump from taking back the White House?

Immediately after President Joe Biden announced in July that he was dropping out of the 2024 race and quickly endorsed Vice President Harris to take over, voters began speculating about who she would choose as a running mate.

With little time to spare, the Harris campaign quickly went through a rigorous process to vet a number of possible picks, which included influential politicians such as Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear.

Walz has also been described by his colleagues as a "happy warrior" – someone who is willing to fight for what they believe in, while amicably working with the other side.

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As Walz puts it, "I have learned how to compromise without compromising my values."

He has also proved that he has what it takes to handle their rival Trump as he is credited as the first politician to publicly call the Republican candidate and the far-right "weird," an attack that quickly became popular among allies.

So far, Harris' pick has been met with a warm reception from Democratic voters, but will it be enough to swoon Independents and undecided voters, and keep Trump from returning to power?

Timothy James Walz was born in West Point, Nebraska on April 6, 1964, where he grew up on a farm.

His family eventually relocated to Butte, Nebraska, where he graduate from high school in 1982.

Inspired by his father who served in the Korean War, Walz joined the National Guard at 17 years old, and served for 24 years.

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With the help of the GI Bill, Walz was able to complete his higher education in 1989 at Chadron State College.

After graduation, Walz began his career as a teacher in Nebraska, and he eventually met Gwen Whipple, a fellow teacher he went on to marry in 1994.

By 1996, the two relocated to Gwen's home state of Minnesota, where Walz became a geography teacher and football coach at Mankato West High School. During this time, he became a pillar of his school and community, forming close bonds with students, and even successfully taking the football team on to win its first-ever state championship in 1999.

In 2006, Walz took a leave of absence from teaching to pursue a career in politics and was eventually elected to represent Minnesota's 1st Congressional District, becoming the highest-ranking retired enlisted soldier ever to serve in Congress.

After years of making a name for himself, Walz was elected governor of Minnesota in 2018 and was successfully re-elected in 2022.

According to Politico, Harris held a one-on-one interview with Walz days before she unveiled him as her pick for a running mate.

The two reportedly clicked instantly, and after doing extensive research into his biography and resume as a politician, the vice president was quickly won over.

Walz's time as governor boasts a number of big progressive accomplishments – he legalized marijuana in Minnesota, made free lunches for public school children, lowered the cost of insulin to $35 per month for many citizens, signed paid sick leave into law, established universal background checks for gun purchases, raised funding provided to local police departments, and took measures to make gender-affirming care safe and accessible for transgender youth.

Harris was so impressed by his record that sources say she expressed interest in replicating many of his accomplishments if she manages to win the presidency.

Understanding Walz's positions on big key issues may therefore give some insight as to what a Harris-Walz administration could look like in terms of policy.

By some, Walz is considered a progressive, as much of his policy positions seem to be driven by the idea of revamping the government to work for the people.

To the opposition, however, he is seen as an example of liberal ideals and policies going too far.

With the economy being one of the biggest issues for voters heading into November, Harris recently unveiled her economic plan, a lot of which mirrors some of Walz's accomplishments in Minnesota.

As governor, Walz garnered a reputation for being a fighter for the working class – he passed legislation guaranteeing paid family and medical leave for all, and increased protections for striking and unionized workers.

He also expanded the state's affordable housing programs, lowered taxes for citizens and small businesses, and provided millions of dollars in tax credits for parents.

With Walz and his wife having years of experience as educators, education is a key issue for him.

As governor, Walz signed a $2.3 billion education budget, the largest investment in public education in the state's history. He also made investments to improve child literacy, expanded access to mental health resources for students, and famously signed legislation that provides students with free breakfast and lunch.

While on the campaign trail with Harris, Walz has been very openly critical of Republican efforts, particularly in Florida, to ban books and censure educators, and has vowed to fight back if they win.

While Harris is seen by most Democrats as a much better alternative to Trump in regards to how she would handle the conflict in Gaza, she is still facing immense pressure from pro-Palestinian groups, who are aggressively calling on US leaders to cut off funding to Israel over alleged war crimes.

Walz, whose veteran status may help strengthen the campaign on such issues, openly condemned the October 7 terrorist attacks, expressed support for an immediate cease-fire and urged Hamas to return the hostages still being held captive.

But he has also suggested that Democrats listen to voters and protesters involved in the Uncommitted movement who have threatened to opt out of voting for the party if support for Israel continues.

After Harris entered the race, she quickly made abortion rights a central issue for her campaign and has vowed to fight to reverse the overturning of Roe v. Wade that took place during the Trump administration. Fortunately, Walz aligns well with her views and has a strong track record in this policy area.

Last year, Walz boldly signed legislation that codified the right to abortion in Minnesota, making the procedure accessible to everyone.

He has also expressed support for in vitro fertilization (IVF), as he has argued that the process helped him and his wife conceive their two children, Gus and Hope.

During his time as a high school teacher in Minnesota, Walz became a well-known ally of the LGBTQ+ community.

In 1999, when a student set out to create a gay-straight alliance group, Walz stepped up and offered to be their faculty advisor.

As governor, he continued to stand as an ally by banning "conversion therapy" – an outdated practice that seeks to effectively "exorcise" homosexuality from young people – and ended book bans based on ideology, allowing LGBTQ+-related subjects to be taught in schools.

Walz's charisma is undeniable, as he has demonstrated by quickly rising to the occasion of being Harris' running mate.

Armed with a caring and empathetic demeanor, an incredibly "all-American" backstory, his status as a veteran, and strong midwestern sensibilities, many Democrats believe he was the perfect choice

In an interview with CNN, senior campaign advisor David Plouffe said that he believes Walz has a long list of "popular accomplishments" as governor that will attract voters, which he believes will be a "huge asset" to Harris going into November.

"He can campaign anywhere in the country, I think he's got a skill as a communicator, and he has accomplished real things for working people in Minnesota," Plouffe added.

Unfortunately, Harris and Walz are facing Trump, who has managed to create a strong connection with Republicans and his MAGA base.

They have both actively worked to discredit Walz's impressive resume by questioning his military service, labeling him a "far-left Marxist," and calling him "Tampon Tim" – a reference to a bill he signed mandating that feminine hygiene products be accessible in school bathrooms.

Trump and his running mate, JD Vance, have chosen to take aim at Harris' character, gender, and heritage, and repeatedly pitch a very dark and bleak vision of America if they are not elected.

In contrast, Harris and Walz have promised to be a divergence from such politics, and have attempted to push the concepts of joy and unity in their campaign efforts.

Harris and Trump will have their first debate of the race in Philadelphia on September 10, while Walz is scheduled to debate JD Vance in New York City on October 1.