Celebrities react to Tim Walz’s selection as vice presidential candidate

Celebrities are reacting to the news that Vice President Kamala Harris has chosen Minnesota’s affable Governor Tim Walz as her running mate in the 2024 election.

With just over three months until the November election, Democrats are hoping to expand on Ms. Harris’ slim lead over former President Donald Trump. Mr. Walz and Ms. Harris are scheduled to hold their first campaign rally in Philadelphia later Tuesday.

In his second term as governor, Walz has built a reputation for his progressive policies while maintaining his ability to appeal to both urban and rural voters. His selection seeks to balance the Democratic ticket, leveraging his Midwestern roots and success in Congress to attract a broader base of support.

Now, various celebrities have taken to X (formerly Twitter) to share their thoughts on the decision.

Newsweek An email seeking comment was sent to Walz through a spokesman for Harris on Tuesday.

Kellyanne Conway, who rose to national prominence as Trump’s campaign manager during the 2016 presidential election, shared her thoughts on the decision.

“Tim Waltz? What a relief,” she posted online.

Conway previously praised Trump for selecting Vance as his running mate in a post on X: “Senator @JDVance1 represents a new generation of America First warriors. His life experience and vision empower him to fight alongside President Trump for the forgotten men, women and children. Let’s WIN in 2024!”

Fox News commentator Tomi Lahren re-shared the news of Waltz’s selection on X, writing simply, “Disgusting.”

Lahren previously slammed Vance for his “child-free” criticism of Harris, calling it a “bad move” that will cost Republicans the election.

Cynthia Nixon also joined the decision, posting a video of herself drinking a coconut on the social media platform, a reference to a popular meme created from Ms Harris’s inauguration speech at the White House in May 2023, in which she told the audience that her mother used to say: “What’s wrong with you young people? You think you fell out of a coconut tree?”

At the time, the comment was met with laughs and amusement, but it has now gone viral, with Harris’ comment even being used as a popular TikTok sound.

“Waltzing on the air! Thank you @kamalaharris,” Nixon captioned a video of the TikTok song playing.

Hollywood actress Bette Midler, a frequent critic of President Trump, also shared the news on her X account, writing, “Kamala has chosen Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate. Here’s what Walz had to say.”

Her post was accompanied by a screenshot of an article detailing how Walz reacted to the news of his selection.

“‘There is excitement in the air and it feels like the first day of school. As football coaches, we are aggressive again,” Walz said in a video message on X Channel endorsing Harris’ campaign. “Vice President Harris brings energy, confidence that she is there to protect our democracy and bring joy back to our politics,” the screenshot reads.

Piers Morgan, a British TV personality who frequently speaks out about US politics, criticised Waltz’s selection on Twitter, writing, “Kamala Harris may have lost the election with this VP pick. Kind of like Sarah Palin, though for different reasons.”

Actor Jamie Lee Curtis shared a photo of Harris and Waltz on Instagram to show her support for the decision.

“Go America!” she captioned the post, tagging both politicians’ Instagram accounts.

Actress Julianne Moore shared the same photo as Curtis on Instagram, writing, “Such exciting news! Can’t wait to vote on this one. @kamalaharris @timwalz Please text “REGISTER” to 644-33 to verify your voter registration to make sure you’re ready to cast your ballot.”

Waltz’s national profile began to rise after he became the first Democrat to publicly call Trump and Vance “wacky,” a trope that has been co-opted by Democrats ever since.

He has had a political career that is unique nationally: Prior to entering politics, he was an Army NCO, a public school teacher, and a state high school football championship coach. As a member of the House of Representatives, he represented Minnesota’s 1st Congressional District (long considered a Republican stronghold) and was re-elected five more times.