The selection of Minnesota’s Tim Walz as Kamala Harris’s running mate has temporarily extended the honeymoon that the Democratic nominee is enjoying in the polls.
The selection of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as Kamala Harris’s running mate has temporarily extended the honeymoon that the Democratic presidential nominee is enjoying in the polls. However, this boost may be short-lived, as Walz’s progressive track record on climate and energy policy could prove a liability with swing voters.
Harris may have erred by choosing Walz—whose positions on climate change are more left-leaning than her own—over Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro. Shapiro would have bolstered Harris’s chances of winning the critical battleground state of Pennsylvania. As governor of one of the largest natural gas-producing states in the country, Shapiro also could have helped Harris walk back her past anti-fossil fuel stances, including her opposition to fracking—the technology that has driven the U.S. shale gas boom over the past 15 years.
But that opportunity has passed. Walz’s aggressive push to reduce Minnesota’s dependence on fossil fuels and his unwavering commitment to renewable energy put him at odds with voters who favor an all-of-the-above energy strategy. This approach is unlikely to resonate in Pennsylvania—or in other swing states that will decide the outcome of the election.
Climate change has been a consistent theme throughout Walz’s political career.
