President/VP

President Kamala Harris

“MY MOTHER WOULD LOOK AT ME AND SHE'd SAY, ‘KAMALA YOU MAY BE THE FIRST TO DO MANY THINGS BUT MAKE SURE YOU ARE NOT THE LAST.’”

KAMALA HARRIS, JANUARY 28, 2019

President Harris's Biography: Kamala D. Harris is the Vice President of the United States of America. She was elected Vice President after a lifetime of public service, having been elected District Attorney of San Francisco, California Attorney General, and United States Senator. She graduated from Howard University and the University of California, Hastings College of Law.

Years of Public Service "For the People"

In 1990, Vice President Harris joined the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office where she specialized in prosecuting child sexual assault cases. She then served as a managing attorney in the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office and later was chief of the Division on Children and Families for the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office.

She was elected District Attorney of San Francisco in 2003. In that role, Vice President Harris created a ground-breaking program to provide first-time drug offenders with the opportunity to earn a high school degree and find employment. The program was designated as a national model of innovation for law enforcement by the United States Department of Justice.

In 2010, Vice President Harris was elected California’s Attorney General and oversaw the largest state justice department in the United States. She established the state’s first Bureau of Children’s Justice and instituted several first-of-their-kind reforms that ensured greater transparency and accountability in the criminal justice system.

As Attorney General, Vice President Harris won a $20 billion settlement for Californians whose homes had been foreclosed on, as well as a $1.1 billion settlement for students and veterans who were taken advantage of by a for-profit education company. She defended the Affordable Care Act in court, enforced environmental law, and was a national leader in the movement for marriage equality.

In 2014, she married Douglas Emhoff. They have a large blended family that includes their children, Ella and Cole.

In 2017, Vice President Harris was sworn into the United States Senate. In her first speech, she spoke out on behalf of immigrants and refugees. As a member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, she fought for better protections for DREAMers and called for better oversight of substandard conditions at immigrant detention facilities.

On the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, she worked with members of both parties to keep the American people safe from foreign threats and crafted bipartisan legislation to assist in securing American elections. She visited Iraq, Jordan, and Afghanistan to meet with servicemembers and assess the situation on the ground. She also served on the Senate Judiciary Committee. During her tenure on the committee, she participated in hearings for two Supreme Court nominees.

As Senator, Vice President Harris championed legislation to combat hunger, provide rent relief, improve maternal health care, and address the climate crisis as a member of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. Her bipartisan anti-lynching bill passed the Senate in 2018. Her legislation to preserve Historically Black Colleges and Universities was signed into law, as was her effort to infuse much-needed capital into low-income communities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Senate Committee Assignments:

2019-2020

Harris was assigned to the following committees:

Committee on Intelligence (Select)
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
Senate Committee on Budget
Committee on the Judiciary

How she voted on key issues see: https://ballotpedia.org/Kamala_Harris

2017-2018

At the beginning of the 115th Congress, Harris was assigned to the following committees:

Committee on Intelligence (Select)
Committee on the Budget
Committee on Environment and Public Works
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
Committee on the Judiciary

Source: https://ballotpedia.org/Kamala_Harris

How she voted on key issues see: https://ballotpedia.org/Kamala_Harris

Campaign themes (her platform she ran on)

Source:: https://ballotpedia.org/Kamala_Harris

Triumphing many firsts she is Nominated to be Vice President

On August 11, 2020, Vice President Harris accepted President Joe Biden’s invitation to become his running mate and help unite the nation. She is the first woman, the first Black American, and the first South Asian American to be elected Vice President, as was the case with other offices she has held. She is, however, determined not to be the last.

As Vice President, Kamala Harris has worked in partnership with President Joe Biden to get America vaccinated, rebuild our economy, reduce child poverty, and pass an infrastructure law that will lift up communities that have been left behind. She has led the Administration’s efforts in rallying broad coalitions to protect the freedom to vote, expand workers’ rights to organize and collectively bargain, and stand up for women’s rights — supporting women in our workforce, addressing the maternal health crisis, and defending reproductive rights. The Vice President has also played a key role in engaging world leaders and strengthening our nation’s alliances and partnerships. In everything she does, she remains focused on the people of our nation—and our collective future.

Service Academy Nominations

The Vice President is authorized to nominate individuals to the United States Military, Naval, and Air Force Academies.

Source: Paraphrased from https://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/vice-president-harris/

Vice President Walz's Biography: Tim Walz is Minnesota’s 41st Governor. He was first elected Governor in 2018 and won re-election in 2022. Accomplishments from his time as Governor include providing universal free school meals for students, protecting reproductive freedom, strengthening voting rights, laying the groundwork to get Minnesota to 100% clean electricity by 2040, cutting taxes for the middle class, and expanding paid leave for Minnesota workers. Throughout his time as Governor, Tim has prioritized making Minnesota the best state in the country to raise a family.Born in a small town in rural Nebraska, Tim’s parents instilled in him the values of public service, generosity toward your neighbors, and working for the common good that guide his commitment to Minnesota today. After high school graduation, Tim enlisted in the Army National Guard. He attended Chadron State College and graduated with a social science degree in 1989. Tim spent a year teaching abroad before returning home to serve full time in the Army National Guard and eventually accepting a high school teaching and coaching position.While teaching, Tim met his future wife, Gwen Whipple, who taught at the same school. They moved to Mankato in 1996, where they worked at Mankato West High School. In addition to teaching social studies, Tim helped coach the Mankato West football team that won the school’s first state championship. After 24 years in the Army National Guard, Command Sergeant Major Walz retired from the 1-125th Field Artillery Battalion in 2005. Tim won his first election to the United States House of Representatives in 2006 and was re-elected for another five terms serving Minnesota’s First Congressional District in Southern Minnesota.

Vice President Walz's Biography:

Tim Walz was born April 6, 1964, in West Point, Neb. He grew up in Valentine, Neb., and went on to attend Chadron State College, where he received his teaching degree. He took a job teaching and coaching in Alliance, Neb. He and his wife, Gwen, moved to Mankato, Minn., in 1996 where he taught and coached football. He and his wife received master’s degrees in educational leadership from Minnesota State University, Mankato. Mankato West won a state championship in 1999 while he was a coach there. Walz enlisted in the Army National Guard in 1981 and served for 24 years, reaching the rank of command sergeant major. In 2003, he began a 10-month tour in Italy on a security detail with the 1st Battalion of the 125th Field Artillery, headquartered in New Ulm, Minn. He got involved in the John Kerry presidential campaign in 2004 and later ran for Congress, beating incumbent Gil Gutknecht, a Republican, in 2006. He served six terms in Congress and was on the Agriculture, Armed Services and Veteran Affairs committees. In 2017, Walz announced he was leaving Congress to run for governor. He was elected the next year, defeating GOP candidate Jeff Johnson. He won re-election in 2022. Walz is currently the chair of the Democratic Governors Association. While serving in Congress, Walz — a hunter — was viewed as something of a political moderate and had the endorsement of the NRA. He broke on the issue of guns in 2018 and went on to sign several gun-control bills as governor. Source:https://www.yahoo.com/news/gov-tim-walz-r-sum-180400318.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall

Tim Walz is Minnesota’s 41st Governor. He was first elected Governor in 2018 and won re-election in 2022. Accomplishments from his time as Governor include providing universal free school meals for students, protecting reproductive freedom, strengthening voting rights, laying the groundwork to get Minnesota to 100% clean electricity by 2040, cutting taxes for the middle class, and expanding paid leave for Minnesota workers. Throughout his time as Governor, Tim has prioritized making Minnesota the best state in the country to raise a family.Born in a small town in rural Nebraska, Tim’s parents instilled in him the values of public service, generosity toward your neighbors, and working for the common good that guide his commitment to Minnesota today. After high school graduation, Tim enlisted in the Army National Guard. He attended Chadron State College and graduated with a social science degree in 1989. Tim spent a year teaching abroad before returning home to serve full time in the Army National Guard and eventually accepting a high school teaching and coaching position.While teaching, Tim met his future wife, Gwen Whipple, who taught at the same school. They moved to Mankato in 1996, where they worked at Mankato West High School. In addition to teaching social studies, Tim helped coach the Mankato West football team that won the school’s first state championship. After 24 years in the Army National Guard, Command Sergeant Major Walz retired from the 1-125th Field Artillery Battalion in 2005. Tim won his first election to the United States House of Representatives in 2006 and was re-elected for another five terms serving Minnesota’s First Congressional District in Southern Minnesota. Source: https://mn.gov/governor/about-gov/timwalz/

Governor Walz's Signature Accomplishments:
Governor Walz and Lieutenant Governor Flanagan took office in January 2019 on the promise of One Minnesota: the vision that, while we are not all the same, we are at our best when we work across lines of difference to improve the lives of all Minnesotans. Facing unprecedented challenges, Governor Walz and Lieutenant Governor Flanagan led with a focus on investing in the things that matter most: children and families, economic opportunity, health and safety, and strong local communities. The Governor and Lieutenant Governor continue building on the accomplishments of their first term to improve the lives of Minnesotans across the state.

HISTORIC INVESTMENTS IN EDUCATION
Governor Walz signed a $2.3 billion education budget into law – the single-largest investment in public education in state history. Governor Walz and Lieutenant Governor Flanagan also provided Minnesota students free breakfast and lunch at school, created thousands of new pre-k seats, expanded access to mental health resources for students, and made significant investments to improve child literacy.

PROTECTING PERSONAL FREEDOMS
Governor Walz and Lieutenant Governor Flanagan established ironclad reproductive freedom, protections for Trans individuals, and gender-affirming care as fundamental rights in Minnesota. Governor Walz also banned the cruel, outdated practice of “conversion therapy” and ended book bans based on ideology.

IMPROVING PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY
Governor Walz banned the use of hand-held cell phones while driving and raised the age to purchase tobacco to 21. The Governor provided $300 million for public safety needs across the state to combat crime and broke ground on a new, centralized Minnesota State Patrol headquarters. Governor Walz took meaningful action to protect communities from gun violence, signing bills establishing a red flag law, expanding background checks, increasing criminal penalties for straw purchasing guns, and banning deadly binary trigger guns.

EXPANDING WORKERS’ RIGHTS
To make Minnesota the best state for workers, Governor Walz and Lieutenant Governor Flanagan established paid leave, ensured paid sick days, banned non-compete agreements, and increased protections for workers in Amazon warehouses, construction sites, hospitals, nursing homes, and public schools.

STRONG COMMUNITIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE
Governor Walz signed the largest infrastructure bill in Minnesota’s history into law to rebuild roads and bridges, repair fire stations and water treatment plants, and upgrade veterans’ homes, fish hatcheries, and flood mitigation systems – all while creating good-paying union jobs for Minnesotans. Governor Walz also provided funding to remove and replace lead pipes across the state.

TAX CUTS FOR WORKING FAMILIES AND THE MIDDLE CLASS
Governor Walz has cut taxes with every one of his budgets. Governor Walz has delivered a variety of rebate checks up to $1,300 to seniors, students, workers, and middle-class families. He also lowered taxes for small businesses and fully exempted state taxes on social security for more than three quarters of seniors.

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
Governor Walz has invested millions in workforce development to connect Minnesotans to high-growth, high-demand career fields like manufacturing, education, and public safety. To lower costs and grow Minnesota’s workforce, Governor Walz and Lieutenant Governor Flanagan provided free college for students with a family income under $80,000. They also invested over $1 billion in child care and early learning opportunities.

EXPANDING VOTING RIGHTS
Governor Walz signed into law the largest expansion of voting rights in Minnesota in the last half century, restoring voting rights for over 55,000 formerly incarcerated people in Minnesota, establishing automatic voter registration, creating a permanent absentee voting status, and pre-registering 16- and 17-year-olds to vote. Governor Walz also signed the Minnesota Voting Rights Act into law – prohibiting standards that would deny or limit any citizen’s right to vote based on their race, color, or language.

LOWERING PRESCRIPTION DRUG COSTS
In 2023, Governor Walz and Lieutenant Governor Flanagan took new action to significantly lower the cost of prescription drugs for seniors and middle-class families. They also enacted the Alec Smith Insulin Affordability Act to provide Minnesotans with emergency assistance and hold insulin manufacturers accountable.

PROTECTING OUR ENVIRONMENT
Governor Walz signed a bipartisan bill to lead Minnesota to 100% clean electricity by 2040 all while creating good-paying jobs for Minnesotans. In 2023 alone, he signed over 40 climate initiatives into law – including provisions banning PFAS “forever chemicals,” expanding Minnesota’s electric vehicle infrastructure, and providing a tax credit for electric vehicle purchases. And in 2024, he cut red tape for clean energy projects to put a downpayment on rapid clean energy job growth.

CUTTING CHILD POVERTY
Governor Walz and Lieutenant Governor Flanagan established a nation-leading child tax credit to cut child poverty in Minnesota by up to one-third.

INCREASING ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING
Governor Walz signed a historic $1 billion investment in housing into law – building a foundation for safety, stability, and economic growth across the state. Governor Walz and Lieutenant Governor Flanagan also took new action to protect tenants’ rights.

LEGALIZING ADULT-USE CANNABIS
Governor Walz and Lieutenant Governor Flanagan legalized adult-use cannabis and expunged nonviolent cannabis convictions in Minnesota.

PROTECTING MINNESOTA CONSUMERS
Governor Walz and Lieutenant Governor Flanagan helped more Minnesotans recover from medical debt – banning medical debt from impacting credit scores, preventing medical providers from withholding medically necessary care due to unpaid debt, and eliminating automatic transfers of medical debt to a patient's spouse. Governor Walz also signed a bill into law banning hidden junk fees and cracking down on fraudulent ticket sales.

PROTECTING SENIORS
To protect Minnesota seniors, Governor Walz signed historic, bipartisan elder abuse legislation to regulate assisted-living centers for the first time. He also allocated $173 million in direct funding for 340 nursing homes across the state.

Source: https://mn.gov/governor/accomplishments/

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