Kamala Harris could have picked a famous astronaut to be her running mate. Many suggested she go with a popular governor from a critical swing state. Instead, she chose Minnesota Governor Tim Walz to join her ticket.

Unlike the other three major party contenders for president and vice president, Walz has a history in agriculture policy making. Before running for governor, he represented a southern Minnesota district in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2007 to 2019. During his 12 years in office, he served on the House Agriculture Committee and helped craft three farm bills.

As governor, Walz has fought to legalize E15 sales year-round. He supports expanding agriculture trade markets but has also been critical of some free trade agreements.

Like Harris, Walz opposed the Trans-Pacific Partnership deal drafted by President Obama. Donald Trump nixed that deal when he came into office.

Walz supports initiatives to bring new people into farming. During a June speech at a Pine Island, Minnesota farm, he touted the state’s efforts to help. Those efforts include Minnesota’s beginning farmer tax credit, beginning farmer loan program and down payment assistance grants.

“Minnesota is built on agriculture,” Walz said in his July 18 address. “We rely on our farmers to feed our families and drive the economy and it is vital that we support our farmers and create opportunities for new folks to enter the occupation, especially amid difficult times.”

Minnesota Farm Bureau President Dan Glessing says Walz is very familiar with the needs of agriculture. He praised the governor for being willing to listen to the Bureau’s concerns and making staff available.

“At the end of the day, we’re not going to agree on every policy, but the fact that he listens and hears you out is all I can ask for,” Glessing says.

Minnesota Farmers Union President Gary Wertish echoed those sentiments. He says Walz is a champion of agriculture who really understands its importance to Minnesota.

Wertish praised the governor for helping pass a $10 million state grain indemnity fund and pushing to expand the biofuel industry.

“Whether you’re a Republican or a Democrat, I think it’s good to have somebody with experience in agriculture on the ticket,” Wertish says. “Agriculture seems to get avoided, but here we have somebody that’s worked hand-in-hand with farmers in Minnesota and has a deep understanding.”

Will Walz help Harris?

Democrats see Walz as the rare Democrat who can make inroads with rural voters. In 2006 he defeated six-term Republican Gil Gutknecht to win a largely rural southern Minnesota district.

Before running for office, he served in the Army National Guard. He also worked as a high school social studies teacher and football coach in Mankato. That team won the state title in 1989.

On social media, the 60-year-old father of two has gained a national following for his folksy, good-natured posts. Still, many rural Minnesotans don’t view him positively.

Southeast Minnesota farmer Clifton Feltis says he won’t be supporting his governor. He believes Walz’s policies have been bad for farmers. More importantly, he says the governor did a poor job handling civil unrest in Minneapolis following the George Floyd murder in 2020.

“I love my country. I can’t let some politician burn it down,” he says.

That doesn’t necessarily mean he will be supporting former President Trump. Feltis is undecided on how he will vote. He’s interested in hearing more from independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.

Fellow Minnesota farmer Dwayne Strei calls Walz a “Minneapolis guy” who has very little support from rural voters. Strei also criticized the way Walz handled the aftermath of the George Floyd murder in 2020.

“He basically threw down officers under the bus,” Strei says. “He surrendered the police precinct that they could have easily protected. He just surrendered it, and they burned it to the ground, and there was never any accountability.”

Strei says he will be voting Trump in the upcoming election because he supports his “fair trade” policies and efforts to confront China.

Southern Minnesota farmer Glenn Frederickson has nothing good to say about Walz or Donald Trump. He’s sick of both major party candidates.

 “What I’ve done for the last several elections is write-in a third-party candidate, whether that’s Mickey Mouse, or someone that gets my interest.”

Editor's Note: This article previously referred to the "George Floyd shooting," we have corrected it to "George Floyd murder."