Who is Gwen Walz, the wife of Harris’ new running mate Tim Walz?
- Gwen Walz, Minnesota’s 39th First Lady, focuses on equity in education
- She advocates for prison education reform and has taught inmates nationwide
- Walz supports reproductive rights; faced fertility challenges and used IVF
ST PAUL, MN – AUGUST 14: Rep. Tim Walz (D-MN) and his wife, Gwen Walz, celebrate while entering his election night party on August 14, 2018 in St Paul, Minnesota. Walz won the night’s primary and will go on to be the DFL candidate for Governor in the general election. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
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(NewsNation) — Vice President Kamala Harris picked Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate on Tuesday. Walz’s wife, Gwen, could become the next second lady if they win the White House in November.
Harris touted the governor’s record and his commitment to his family in an Instagram post announcing her running mate.
“But what impressed me most about Tim is his deep commitment to his family: Gwen, Gus, and Hope. Doug and I look forward to working with him and Gwen to build an administration that reflects our shared values,” she wrote.
Gwen Walz is a ‘lifelong Minnesotan’
Minnesota’s first lady, Gwen Walz is a “lifelong Minnesotan,” according to her official bio on the governor’s website.
Born to Val and Linn in Glencoe, she grew up in western Minnesota with three sisters.
She later earned degrees from Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter and Minnesota State University.
Education is ‘one of Gwen’s passions’
Gwen Walz has a wide-ranging career in education, which started when she began her career as an English teacher at a high school in western Nebraska, where she met her husband.
According to her bio, education is “one of Gwen’s passions.”
She’s taught in public, alternative and migrant schools and later worked as an administrator and coordinator in the Mankato Area Public Schools, focusing on eliminating “the achievement gap and strive for more equity and access within education systems.”
Additionally, she’s advocated for education reform in the prison system and has taught incarcerated people nationwide. She actively supports The Bard Prison Initiative in upstate New York, which helps incarcerated people earn college degrees. She’s working to bring similar programs to Minnesota and beyond, according to her bio.
Her parents were also educators and small business owners.
The Walz are supporters of reproductive rights
Gwen and Tim Walz married Tim in 1994, and have two children, Hope and Gus.
They’re supporters of reproductive rights, a key issue for Tim as Minnesota’s governor.
Their oldest child, Hope, was born after Gwen underwent seven years of fertility treatments, the governor told the Star Tribune while opening up about their fertility challenges. He also shared their challenges and the use of IVF treatments to conceive their daughter in an address to Minnesotans in March.
The Harris campaign stated Tuesday that the couple’s experience with fertility treatments demonstrates Tim Walz’s “commitment to ensuring all Americans have access to this care.”
ST PAUL, MN – AUGUST 14: Rep. Tim Walz (D-MN) and his wife, Gwen Walz, celebrate while entering his election night party on August 14, 2018 in St Paul, Minnesota. Walz won the night’s primary and will go on to be the DFL candidate for Governor in the general election. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images) 
ST PAUL, MN – AUGUST 14: Rep. Tim Walz stands on stage at an election night party with his wife, Gwen Walz, son, Gus Walz, and daughter Hope Walz on August 14, 2018 in St Paul, Minnesota. Walz won the nights primary and will go on to be the DFL candidate for Governor in the general election. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
