‘An excellent choice’: Florida Dems praise Kamala Harris’ pick of Tim Walz as VP

Walz’s accomplishments, such as passing a paid family and medical leave program and making abortion a fundamental right under Minnesota law, are in stark contrast to what Gov. Ron DeSantis has done in Florida.

Shortly after Vice President Kamala Harris announced Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate on Tuesday morning, Florida Democrats rushed to share their enthusiastic approval of her choice. 

“Congratulations to Governor Tim Walz! Vice President Kamala Harris has made an excellent choice,” State Sen. Shevrin Jones said in a written statement.

Calling the Minnesota governor “a public servant through and through,” Jones – who is also Miami-Dade Democratic Executive Committee Chair – offered his full support to defeat what he calls the “dangerous Trump-Vance ticket.”

Similarly, Florida Gen-Z Congressman Maxwell Frost, a vocal opponent of the DeSantis administration, called Harris’ choice a win for working class families across the country.

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“Tim Walz knows what it means to show the people that the government can work for them,” Frost posted on X.

Former state Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, who is running to unseat Republican incumbent Rick Scott in the US Senate in November, described Harris’ choice of Walz as the culmination of the American Dream. 

“A former high school teacher who served in the National Guard is our candidate for VP of the United States. If that’s not a testament to the American Dream, I don’t know what is,” she posted on X. “Together, we’re going to protect the freedoms and opportunities our working class relies on.”

For his part, Carlos Guillermo Smith, the former Florida Democratic representative running for the Senate, simply touted some of the policies Walz signed into law in Minnesota, such as universal free school meals for kids, stronger LGBTQ+ protections, stronger gun safety laws, reproductive rights protections, paid family and medical leave, and the goal of 100% clean energy by 2030, among other accomplishments. 

Florida Representative Anna V. Eskamani summed it up in a few words, posting on X: “What a great pick! Let’s go win!”

Lauded by many

As governor of Minnesota, Walz signed into law measures that are in stark contrast to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ policy priorities, such as the state’s 6-week abortion ban, the growing trend of book bans in the state, and other efforts to restrict how educators can teach in classrooms. In fact, long before he was even considered for the ticket, Walz called out Florida for these extreme right-wing measures, including its controversial school book bans targeting African American history and LGBTQ issues.

“I’m only the governor of this great state, it’s not up to me how folks in places like Florida go about their business,” Walz said during his 2023 State of the State address. “They’re banning books in our schools; we’re banishing hunger in ours.”

“A Harris-Walz Administration will fight for our freedoms, defend our families, and make America a place where people don’t just get by — but can get ahead,” said Kelley Robinson, Human Rights Campaign President. 

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