The democratic socialist, who endorsed Harris for president, told Minnesota Public Radio on Saturday that Walz would be a candidate who “understands the needs of working families.”
“I hope very much that the Vice President selects a running mate who will speak up and take on powerful corporate interests, and I think Tim Walz is somebody who could do that,” Sanders said of Walz, a former teacher and rural Nebraska native.
Sanders isn’t the first to point out Walz’s potential to rally working-class voters. As Business Insider’s John Dorman reported, Walz could help connect with rural and working-class voters who are unsure about voting blue.
Multiple Minnesota labor leaders have voiced support for Walz in an open letter to Harris, calling him an “essential partner in winning in November.”
Walz also received support from United Auto Workers president Shawn Fain, who pointed out on CNN Walz’s support for the 2023 UAW strike, which ended in October. Walz joined the picket line at a striking Stellantis facility in Plymouth, Minnesota.
The Midwestern Democrat has also taken it upon himself to pit his rural roots against former President Donald Trump’s VP pick, JD Vance, who is from Ohio.
“People like JD Vance know nothing about small-town America,” Walz said during an appearance on “Morning Joe.”
Walz is among several others being considered as a Harris running mate. Other contenders include Govs. Andy Beshear of Kentucky, JB Pritzker of Illinois, and Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, as well as Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.
Rep. Adam Schiff predicted on Saturday that Harris’ VP pick will be based on “best running mate that will help her win.”
“I think it’s going to be less about who does she have the best chemistry with and more about who has the best chance of helping the ticket,” he told CNN.
Harris is expected to reveal her choice of running mate as early as Monday, sources told Reuters.
The Harris campaign told Politico that Harris would stage her first rally with her running mate in Philadelphia on Tuesday.
Representatives for Walz, Sanders, and Harris did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
