Everything We Know About Kamala Harris Running Mate Tim Walz's Family

For a while, it seemed like Josh Shapiro was the top contender for Kamala Harris' running mate in the 2024 elections. However, on August 6, Harris took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to announce that Minnesota Governor Tim Walz would serve as her Vice President. In addition to having a promising political career, Tim also has a rich family life. According to his bio, he was a high school teacher and a coach when he met his wife, Gwen Walz, who taught English at the same school.

In one of his Facebook posts, he admitted that their relationship wouldn't have existed if it weren't for Gwen's sister, who urged her to give him a shot. Thankfully, everything worked out perfectly for the two teachers, and they tied the knot on June 4, 1994. Their love evidently stood the test of time, as the Governor took to Facebook in 2019 to celebrate their 25th anniversary. In the caption, he wrote, "It's been a blessing to walk with you each and every day through this journey called life."

While there's no doubt that Gwen loves her husband tremendously, her one true passion has always been teaching, per her bio. In addition to being an educator, Gwen has also strived to bring positive reforms to the Mankato Area Public Schools through her roles an administrator and coordinator. She is also an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and criminal justice reforms and has even taught a few classes at prisons. 

According to the Star Tribune, Tim Walz and Gwen Walz underwent seven years of fertility treatments before welcoming their first child, who was aptly named Hope as a symbol of their journey. Tim recalled that when his wife called to tell him she was pregnant, his heart initially dropped because he believed that the round of treatments had ended without conception. Given all this, it's unsurprising that he wasn't pleased with Donald Trump's left-field VP pick, JD Vance, for his controversial views on IVF. 

Hope came into this world in 2001, and her brother, Gus Walz, joined the family in 2006. Although Tim keeps his children off social media for the most part, he is always the first one to celebrate their victories. In June 2019, he celebrated Hope's high school graduation with a Facebook post, writing, "I couldn't be more proud of our Hope." Tim had another self-proclaimed "proud dad moment" in 2023 after Gus passed his driver's test. 

In fact, even when Father's Day 2021 came rolling around, he took to Facebook to write, "I am so lucky to be a dad to these two amazing kids! Happy Father's Day to all the dads and father figures out there." Tim and Gwen's family was only completed in 2019 with the addition of their black Labrador mix, Scout, who adorably came to be known as Minnesota's first puppy. However, he was the second pet they rescued, with the first being their cat, Afton.

Tim Walz is one of four children born to James F. Walz and Darlene Rose Walz. Tim has a sister, Sandy Dietrich,  and two brothers, Jeff Walz and Craig Walz. Craig died in 2016, but this is not the only loss the Walz family has faced. Tim's father, James, died of lung cancer when the VP hopeful was just a teenager.

Tim has credited his parents for shaping him into the man he is today and inspiring the path he ended up on. In a 2022 piece for the Star Tribune, Tim explained that his family found it difficult to pay off his father's medical expenses. "We were able to get by on Social Security survivor benefits and my mom's job in a nursing home," Tim wrote. "That experience led me to choose a career in public service, like my father." Both James and Tim served in the armed forces, and they both worked in public schools. Tim's mother, Darlene, worked as a community activist.

Tim took to X, formerly known as Twitter, for Father's Day in 2022 to pay homage to both his father and his grandfather. In the thread, Tim shared photos and anecdotes about both men before writing, "I'm forever grateful for the values that my father and grandfather instilled in me and are practiced in the Walz family."