Meet Tim Walz's Kids, Hope And Gus

On July 21, 2024, President Joe Biden confirmed on that he would not be seeking a second term. Biden then endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris, and she soon accepted the Democratic nomination for president in the 2024 election. Harris, in turn, named Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her VP pick.

Before Harris announced that he would be her running mate, Tim wasn't exactly a household name outside of Minnesota. But now, people across the country — and the world — know about the past moves he's made while in office, which range from protecting women's abortion rights to tightening gun control. What's more, people far and wide now know a little more about Tim Walz's family. After meeting in a shared classroom in Nebraska, Tim tied the knot with his wife Gwen Walz in 1994. From there, the two continued to build a life together in Minnesota. They became parents to daughter Hope Walz in 2001. They welcomed their second child, son Gus Walz, five years later. 

The Walz kids may be all grown up, but that doesn't mean they are too old for messing with their dad on live TV. At the 2024 DNC, Hope and Gus gave Tim bunny ears while he was in the middle of an interview. Evidently, their dad got a kick out of it. The VP nominee shared a clip of the moment on X, formerly known as Twitter, and wrote, "My kids keep me humble." Here's what else we know about Hope and Gus Walz. 

In January 2001, Hope Walz was born, making Tim and Gwen Walz parents for the first time. She arrived via intrauterine insemination treatments, or IUI. Her parents went through many rounds of treatments, holding onto hope as well as they could. As Gwen told Glamour, "Our fertility journey was an incredibly personal and difficult experience." Given the Walz family's history with fertility treatments, it shouldn't come as a surprise that reproductive health care is a cause near and dear to Tim's heart. 

While speaking at a 2024 Philadelphia rally about the importance of having treatments like in vitro fertilization (IVF) readily available to those who need them, Tim opened up about how intense the IUI process was. "When my wife and I decided to have children, we spent years going through infertility treatments," he expressed (via the AP). "And I remember praying every night for a call for good news." 

After they got married, Tim and Gwen Walz spent seven years trying to become parents before their first child was welcomed into the world. "The pit in my stomach when the phone rang and the agony when we heard that the treatments hadn't worked," he said at the aforementioned rally in Philly. "So it wasn't by chance that when we welcomed our daughter into the world, we named her Hope." When he shared this same story at an Arizona rally, the crowd began to chant his daughter's name. Tim teared up and quipped, "I'm not crying, you're crying."

After becoming a dad to daughter Hope Walz in 2001, Tim Walz continued to work as a high school teacher. In 2006, Tim stepped away from teaching so he could run for congress in southern Minnesota, officially kicking off his political career. Throughout his campaign, he shared pieces of his own life, giving voters a chance to get to know a little more about the person running for office. In one promo, Tim recalled one particularly bittersweet memory of his daughter while also advocating for the accessibility of healthcare. 

In 2024, gun control activist David Hogg took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to upload Tim's 2006 ad that appeared on KSMQ. In it, Tim shared that he suffered from inner ear damage while in the military. After he retired from the National Guard, he underwent an operation that would bring his hearing back to what it once was.

To his surprise, one of the first things that he heard after the operation was a 4-year-old Hope singing. "One morning several weeks after the surgery, I awoke to a sound I couldn't identify. I asked my wife what I was hearing and she told me, 'Tim, that's your 4-year-old daughter, Hope,'" he said. "You see, Hope wakes up singing every morning, but I had never heard that sound until that day."

Once upon a time, the National Rifle Association was a fan of Tim Walz. The former member of the National Guard is not only a gun owner who enjoys hunting, but for a while, he had an A rating from the NRA. In recent years, however, Tim has taken a stronger stance on gun control. "After some of the worst mass shootings in our country's history, the governor was moved to take a hard look at the facts and decided to support common sense gun reform that would prevent future tragedies," a rep for the Harris-Walz campaign told Newsweek. He now has an F rating.

Hope Walz played a major role in this shift. In 2024, activist David Hogg took to X to share a video of Tim giving a speech on gun control in early 2018. The event was held a few weeks after the Parkland high school shooting. "Hope woke up like many of you did 5 weeks ago and said, 'Dad, you are the only person I know who's in elected office. You need to stop what's happening with this,'" he recalled. "I'll take my kick in the butt for the NRA. I spent 25 years in the army and I hunt, and I gave the money back." Tim not only parted ways with the NRA, but donated all the money the NRA gave him to a nonprofit. 

When one of Tim Walz's kids reaches a major life milestone, you better believe the governor is going to post about it on social media. After Hope Walz went to senior prom, for example, Tim shared a snap they took together and wrote, "I'm so proud to be her dad.‬" Some weeks later, he took to Facebook again to post about Hope's high school graduation. "Tonight, my daughter graduates from Mankato West High School," he wrote. "I couldn't be more proud of our Hope." 

A few months after she finished her high school career, Tim posted about Hope moving into her dorm at the University of Minnesota. "Today's a pretty emotional day for me," he wrote. I'm so proud of the young woman she's become — and can't wait to watch all that she'll accomplish over the next four years."

Hope transferred to Montana State University sometime after her freshman year. On May 13, 2023, Tim took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to announce that his daughter had graduated from college. Alongside a photo someone snapped of the two taking a selfie, Tim wrote, "It's been incredible to see the person she's become — and I can't wait to watch all that she'll accomplish." According to USA Today, she graduated from Montana State University with a bachelor's in criminology and a minor in women's, gender, and sexuality studies.

Although Hope Walz seemingly prefers to remain out of the spotlight, she does occasionally pop up in videos with her dad. Sometimes, the content can be on the serious side — for example, in 2019, she participated in Tim Walz's PSA for hands-free driving. On the flip side, in 2023, the two recorded a more lighthearted clip while at the 2023 Minnesota State Fair. 

Tim shared a video of their day on Instagram and wrote, "My daughter, Hope, tricked me into doing the most extreme ride at the Minnesota State Fair." Tim opened up the video by introducing his daughter and briefly speaking about a yearly tradition. "Every year, we, as a family, do something old and something new. I get to pick something, a classic — Ye Old Mill ride — we'll do that, and then Hope gets to pick something new." She picked the slingshot, a ride that quickly launches you over 300 feet in the air and back down. 

After the father-daughter duo banter about whether or not corn dogs and turkey meat count as meat — Hope is a vegetarian — the video then cut to the two on the ride. As the two exited the attraction, Tim stated that the slingshot was "so worth it." To close out the video, Tim thanked his daughter for encouraging him to try the new ride, to which she responded, "You're welcome."

After college, Hope Walz stayed put in Montana. While she's mostly maintained a low profile, her dad has offered a few details about what she's been up to since graduation. Wouldn't you know it, Tim is clearly very proud of his eldest kid. 

Shortly after Kamala Harris announced Tim Walz would be her running mate, TikTok user spritefrom.mcdonalds uploaded a video of Tim and Hope interacting with supporters during a kickoff campaign event on August 7, 2024. In the clip, someone asked Hope about the brutal couch joke Tim made about JD Vance at a Philadelphia rally, and she pantomimed zipping her mouth closed. The quick and fun interaction received a lot of positive reactions, including a few comments about her being a social worker. 

No, those comments weren't just rumors. On a separate video, TikTok user spritefrom.mcdonalds wrote, "Caring about community and people's well-being runs in the family." In the clip, which was taken at the same kickoff campaign event, Tim pointed to Hope and proudly rattled off her resume. "Hope's a social worker, she works at the homeless shelter in Bozeman, and she's a ski instructor at Big Sky," he said. The crowd cheered, and Hope smiled and nodded before they made their way down the line. 

Tim and Gwen Walz's second child, Gus Walz, was born in October 2006.Like his big sister Hope Walz, Gus was conceived via IUI. 

As a child, Gus experienced some struggles that came to a head in his teenage years. In a statement provided to People in 2024, Tim and Gwen opened up about their son's journey to where he is today. "When our youngest Gus was growing up, it became increasingly clear that he was different from his classmates," Tim and Gwen said. Eventually, Gus was diagnosed with a neurological condition that affected how he processed information. "When he was becoming a teenager, we learned that Gus has a non-verbal learning disorder in addition to an anxiety disorder and ADHD, conditions that millions of Americans also have," they explained. 

Although the two stated that there was an adjustment period following his diagnosis, Tim and Gwen ensured that Gus had the love and support he needed from his immediate family. Through this, the pair told People that they did not see his condition as a hindrance at all. "Like so many American families, it took us time to figure out how to make sure we did everything we could to make sure Gus would be set up for success as he was growing up," they stated. "It took time, but what became so immediately clear to us was that Gus' condition is not a setback — it's his secret power."

On November 6, 2018, Tim Walz was elected the Governor of Minnesota. Understandably, his family was thrilled to see him win. However, one might argue no one was more excited than Gus Walz. "Right after we heard we won, my 12-year-old son Gus yelled, 'I get a dog!'" Tim wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. " I guess he remembered that promise Gwen and I made him two years ago." Yes, Tim told Gus that if he won the election, they could adopt a pup. Needless to say, a lot was on the line that election night.

On September 5, 2019, Tim announced that the Walzes welcomed Scout, a 3-month-old black Labrador mix from Midwest Animal Rescue, into their home. In a statement provided to the Minnesota State website, Tim shared how much it meant to add Scout to their family.

"Politicians make a lot of promises on the campaign trail, but none bigger than one I made to my kids. I'm excited to announce that Minnesota has a new First Dog and more importantly, I fulfilled my commitment to get my son a dog if I was elected Governor," Tim stated. "I'm proud that Minnesota's First Dog is a rescue dog, and I hope Scout—who has been a very good boy—serves as reminder for Minnesotans that there are a lot of pups waiting to be adopted."

Back when Tim Walz was a high school teacher at Mankato West High School, he also happened to be a football coach. One might assume that Tim's son would follow in his footsteps and play football on the high school level. Gus Walz, however, chose to dedicate his time to another sport. 

In 2022, Tim took to Facebook to celebrate all of the young athletes who made it to the Minnesota Boys High School Volleyball State Tournament — including his son. "As a dad and former coach, I want to congratulate all those participating in the Minnesota Boys High School Volleyball State Tournament this year," he wrote. "And a special congratulations to my son Gus — I'm so proud of you!" In addition to playing for the Minnesota Select Volleyball Club, Gus also made the St. Paul Central High School's varsity volleyball team.  While it's too early to say whether Gus will continue to play through college, it is clear that he's found success in the sport on the high school level. 

While being governor is certainly a demanding gig, Tim Walz makes time for his son's matches. Back in 2022, he shared on Facebook that he happened to be at one of Gus' games when duty called. "Stepped out of my son's volleyball game to sign this important bill the minute we got it passed. $500 million in direct payments to frontline workers. $2.7 billion in tax relief for small businesses. Signed. Couldn't ask for a better Friday night," he wrote.

Though Tim Walz mostly uses social media to offer constituents updates about the work he's doing, every now and again, he goes full dad mode. As previously mentioned, Tim does not shy away from posting about how much his children mean to him. On Father's Day 2021, for example, Tim gave a shoutout on Facebook to his son and daughter. "I am so lucky to be a dad to these two amazing kids!" he wrote. A couple years later, the governor shared that his son, Gus Walz, reached a significant life milestone.

On October 27, 2023, Tim took to Instagram to announce that his son had passed his road test. Paired with a selfie Tim took while Gus was focused on the road, Tim wrote a playful caption, expressing just how happy he was for his 17-year-old son. "My son Gus just passed his — what do you call it? A driver's license exam?" he wrote. "Proud dad moment." 

A little less than a year later, the tables turned when Gus had a proud son moment. When Tim officially accepted the VP nomination at the DNC in 2024, Gus stood up during the speech and cheered, "That's my dad!"