By Barnini Chakraborty | Washington Examiner
When Vice President Kamala Harris picked Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate in August, the choice was seen as a move to balance out her presidential ticket and help broaden her appeal to working-class voters.
Democrats bet his bonafides as a former high school teacher, veteran, and gun owner with folksy charm would help Harris, who has been criticized for being inauthentic and a flip-flopper on policy.
But for all of Walz’s midwestern “dad energy,” his record and penchant for tall tales will be in the spotlight on Oct. 1 when he faces Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) in a vice presidential debate. In what is undoubtedly the largest stage of his political career, Walz risks undermining Harris even further at a time when her campaign is desperate to capitalize on another inflection point.