ST PAUL, Minn. — Tim Walz is returning to the Minnesota governor's mansion after a whirlwind few months in the national spotlight vying for the White House.
Walz was running to serve as Vice President of the United States alongside current VP Kamala Harris. The Democratic ticket lost to Republican Donald Trump and his running mate JD Vance, with the AP declaring victory for the GOP at 4:35 a.m. after Trump captured Wisconsin and its 10 electoral votes.
The victory in Wisconsin eliminated any path for Harris to win the White House.
Walz was a high school history and social studies teacher in Mankato who entered politics by winning a U.S. Congressional seat in an upset over longtime incumbent Gil Gutknecht. Walz left Washington and returned to Minnesota to run for governor, and won the state's highest office in 2018.
He was selected by Harris in August to be her running mate and has spent the months since crisscrossing the United States, forwarding the ticket's message of inclusion and success for all Americans.
Walz will resume his gubernatorial duties before making a decision on whether he will run for reelection in 2026. It is unclear whether being part of losing the 2024 presidential election for Democrats will impact his political future.