Vice President Kamala Harris has selected Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (Waltz) as her running mate ahead of the November Presidential election. But who is Tim Walz? City of Buffalo Common Council Member Mitch Nowakowski will attend his first Democratic National Convention as a delegate later this month. He says the choice of Walz helps balance the Democratic ticket with his midwestern sensibilities.
"My first reaction to him in clips that I've seen, is it's very easy to connect with him," said Nowakowski. "He seems to be the guy that could be anyone's dad that really talks a lot of sense and is out there to accomplish good things. And doesn't tend to be polarizing or get sucked from the right or the left, rather someone that is elected to get the job done."
Nowakowski says Walz’s ability to connect with voters contrasts with the Republican Vice Presidential nominee J-D Vance.
First-time delegate and Masten District Council Member Zeneta Everhart says that while Walz might be a relative unknown, he is not someone who has shied away from a microphone.
"He hasn't necessarily been quiet if you're convolved in the political world," said Everhart. "Tim Walz has been very outspoken about a number of different things that are important to me, right here in New York. I think that people will quickly come up to speed with who he is, but I don't think that he's going to be afraid to put himself out there in that way."
Though some political pundits say the selection of the midwestern Walz balances the ticket with Harris who is from the San Francisco Bay area, Everhart says Walz is a forward thinker who understands the needs of all Americans.
