As Democratic nominee Kamala Harris’s newly selected running mate garners national attention, a decades-old incident has reemerged, casting a shadow over the campaign. A 1995 mugshot of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, taken after an arrest on suspicion of driving under the influence, has surfaced in the wake of Harris’s announcement.
The Incident: Details of Walz’s Arrest
Governor Tim Walz’s mugshot, obtained by Fox News, reveals a dazed expression as he holds a Dawes County Sheriff’s Department placard in Nebraska. The arrest occurred on September 23, 1995, when Walz, then 31, was caught driving over 80 mph in a 55 mph zone. Walz failed a breath test with a blood alcohol concentration of .128 and was unable to pass a sobriety test.
Russell Harford, Walz’s lawyer, described the incident in court as “a little bit bizarre,” noting that the state trooper did not immediately activate his sirens. Harford argued that Walz, who reportedly had hearing issues, believed “somebody was after him.” Following his arrest, Walz was booked into a county jail and later released on bond. He ultimately reached a plea deal, admitting to a reduced charge of reckless driving and paying a $200 fine. According to reports, the now-60-year-old governor no longer consumes alcohol.
The announcement of Tim Walz as Kamala Harris’s vice-presidential pick has led to increased scrutiny of his past. Harris introduced Walz during a rally in Philadelphia, where he joined her on stage, sparking further interest in his background.
Who is Tim Walz?
Born in Nebraska, Tim Walz served as a National Guardsman before transitioning into a career in education. At the time of his 1995 arrest, he was working as a high school teacher and football coach. Walz’s political career began with his election to the House of Representatives, eventually leading to his victory in the Minnesota gubernatorial race in 2019. He was re-elected as governor in 2022. Even before being shortlisted as Harris’s running mate, Walz made headlines by labeling former President Donald Trump and his running mate JD Vance as “weird.” “These are weird people on the other side,” Walz said last month. “They want to take books away. They want to be in your exam room.” The Harris campaign quickly adopted the phrase, which went viral.
Republican response: Trump and Vance react
In response to Harris’s choice, former President Donald Trump expressed his astonishment, stating, “I never thought Harris would choose Walz because he is a very, very liberal man, and he’s a shocking pick.”
Trump went further, claiming, “This is a ticket that would want this country to go communist immediately, if not sooner.” On his Truth Social platform, Trump labeled Harris and Walz as “the most radical left duo in American history.”
J.D. Vance, Trump’s running mate, also weighed in, attempting to confront Walz and Harris. Vance, an Ohio senator, and former Marine, quipped, “I figured I’d come by and, one, just get a good look at the plane because hopefully it’s going to be my plane in a few months, but I also thought you guys might get lonely because the vice president doesn’t answer questions from reporters and hasn’t for 17 days.”
Earlier that day, Vance accused Walz of abandoning his National Guard unit just before they were deployed to Iraq, saying, “You abandoned your unit right before they went to Iraq.”