“Tim Walz Named Kamala Harris’s VP Pick: What Happens to Minnesota’s Governorship?”
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has now been chosen as Kamala Harris’s running mate for vice president on the Democratic ticket. So, who will take his place…
Saint Paul, Minnesota – Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has been selected as the vice presidential candidate alongside Kamala Harris for the presidency on the Democratic ticket.What does this signify for the state of Minnesota?
Will Walz have to resign to run for election?
Under Minnesota law, Walz can continue in his role as governor while running for vice president. In some other states, there are laws requiring officials to resign from their seats to run for another office, but Minnesota does not have such a law.
If Harris and Walz are defeated by former President Donald Trump and Senator JD Vance, Walz will remain governor and complete the remainder of his current term, which ends in January 2027. He could choose to run again in 2026 if he wishes. If they win, Harris and Walz can resign at any time before the inauguration on January 20, 2025.
If Walz is elected vice president, who will become governor?
If the Harris-Walz ticket wins and Walz resigns from his position, Minnesota’s executive branch will face historic changes.
Minnesota’s laws clarify the succession order for governor: when the governor’s position becomes vacant, the Lieutenant Governor becomes governor. In this case, that would be Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan, who would become the first woman governor in Minnesota’s history and the first Native American woman to serve as governor in American history (two male governors have served in Oklahoma).
If Flanagan becomes governor, the law states that “the Lieutenant Governor shall become President of the Senate.” The current Senate President is Senator Bobby Champion, who would become the state’s first Black Lieutenant Governor.
Champion becoming Lieutenant Governor would eliminate the DFL’s majority in the Minnesota Senate, necessitating a special election to fill his seat.
When was the last time the governor’s position was vacant?
The governor’s position last became vacant in 1976 when DFL Governor Wendell Anderson resigned. His successor, Governor Rudy Perpich, was elected through a special election to fill the vacancy created in the U.S. Senate by then-Senator Walter Mondale becoming vice president.
The Lieutenant Governor’s role final became vacant in 2018 while Governor Mark Dayton appointed Tina Smith due to Senator Al Franken’s resignation from the U.S. Senate. The vacancy inside the Lieutenant Governor’s function created an unusual scenario when a Republican (then-State Senator Michelle Fischbach) changed into appointed to serve underneath DFL Governor. The controversy began whilst Fischbach decided to maintain her Senate seat till the give up of the legislative session.
Minnesota’s VIP Club
If Walz is elected vp, he would be the 0.33 Minnesota resident to serve in that function, preceded by using Hubert H. Humphrey, who served as Vice President below President Lyndon Johnson from 1965 to 1969, and Walter Mondale, who served beneath President Jimmy Carter from 1977 to 1981. Like Walz, Humphrey and Mondale had been also Democrats.
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