Patricia Lopez: Tim Walz is the opposite of Vance. He should be Harris’ VP

An unlikely — and mostly unfamiliar — name has catapulted onto the short list of potential Democratic running mates: Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.

Walz seems to be everywhere lately, with a rapid-fire, folksy style that brings the heat to Republicans, articulates what matters to Democrats and corks off on GOP nominee Donald Trump and his new running mate, Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, without turning nasty.

Vice President Kamala Harris, barely one week into her campaign after being endorsed by President Joe Biden on July 21, will have little time to select a running mate. A virtual roll call of states will be conducted by the party in early August and a ticket must be nominated by then to meet ballot access deadlines.

As she weighs her options, Harris should take a serious look at this relatable, rough-voiced Midwestern governor. He and his record embody much of what Harris values. There is less talk about saving democracy and more about redefining freedom: the right to reproductive choice, a level playing field for the middle class and sensible gun reforms that keep us safe from gun violence. “That’s the kind of freedom I believe in,” Walz said in a social media post.

As governor, Walz, 60, has piled up progressive accomplishments. Minnesota passed universal free school breakfast and lunch for students when Republican governors were rejecting federal funds to feed students in the summer. When Republicans were banning books, Minnesota banned the book bans in schools and libraries. As state after state stripped women of reproductive rights and abortion access, Minnesota was at the forefront of protecting both. The state expanded voting rights, universal background checks for guns and red flag laws; championed protections for transgender individuals; legalized cannabis; instituted paid family leave; banned so-called forever chemicals; and passed both the largest infrastructure bill and largest tax cut in state history. The values that Harris would run on, Walz has already put into law. That makes Minnesota a powerful laboratory for proving to voters what Democrats can do.

And while Minnesota is not yet a battleground state — though Republican nominee Donald Trump has vowed to flip it red — Walz’s strong ties and familiar presence in Wisconsin and Michigan could go a long way to hanging on to the 35 electoral votes those three states represent should he be on the ticket.

Raised in rural Nebraska, Walz’s high school graduating class had 25 students. He enlisted in the Army National Guard soon after and served for 24 years, achieving the rank of command sergeant major. He specialized in heavy artillery and did a tour overseas with Afghanistan’s Operation Enduring Freedom, though he never saw combat. His background could help balance a ticket with Harris, who spent much of her early years in the Bay Area and has no military experience.

He started teaching at South Dakota’s Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, the poorest in the country. Eventually he settled in Mankato, Minn., a small river city, teaching high school social studies, coaching the football team to a state championship and doing lunchroom duty.

At age 42, Walz came late to politics. But when he did, he unseated a six-term Republican incumbent congressman. He soon became known for his quick humor, honed by years of trying to hold the attention of restless teenagers in class and on the field.

His no-nonsense approach to politics, however, is pure Army National Guard. Genial and self-effacing, Walz nevertheless can be tough and focused. The “Sarge” is always lurking beneath the smile.

There is a plainspokenness to Walz, a common touch with the working class and shared values that make him both compatible and a good contrast teamed with Harris. And if Harris is looking for someone who can take the fight to the opposition, who better than an Army sergeant.