AFT’s Weingarten on Kamala Harris’ Selection of Tim Walz as Her Running Mate

WASHINGTON-AFT President Randi Weingarten released the following statement after Vice President Kamala Harris picked Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate:

"Gov. Walz has been an unabashed champion for public education, for educators and workers throughout his life in public service. He shares our commitment to solving problems and forging a future in where every American can get ahead, not just get by.

"Walz and Harris are about freedom-the freedom to join a union, to thrive in the economy, to make our own healthcare decisions, to be free from gun violence. They will stand up for the middle class against a weak, dark, dystopian alternative that wants to send us back to the past.

"Gov. Walz is a proud educator who drew on his experience in the classroom to show Minnesotans what a pro-education, pro-labor administration can look like. He is from a small town, served in the military and has consistently given back to his community. He believes the essence of America is to be kind to your neighbor and to help those around you thrive. And he is a former AFT member.

"The contrast is clear: Gov. Walz oversaw billions of dollars in increased funding to Minnesota public schools, provided free school meals to every student and guaranteed unemployment insurance to hourly school workers. Trump and Vance want to destroy educational opportunity, abolish programs that help the least well-off, and pass unaccountable voucher programs.

"Gov. Walz expanded collective bargaining rights, fought wage theft, enacted paid family and medical leave, and took on mandatory captive audience meetings. And he unreservedly supports a woman's right to make her own reproductive health decisions. The Harris-Walz team will build on the Biden administration's legacy as the most labor-friendly administration in history and will continue to grow our economy from the bottom up and the middle out.

"The AFT's 1.8 million members will stand with Walz and Harris over the next 12 weeks as they campaign to realize the promise and potential of America. We will hit the road to defeat Donald Trump and JD Vance from coast to coast and keep their extremist policies out of the White House for good. The future starts here-and we are not going back."

# # # #

The AFT represents 1.8 million pre-K through 12th-grade teachers; paraprofessionals and other school-related personnel; higher education faculty and professional staff; federal, state and local government employees; nurses and healthcare workers; and early childhood educators.