Tim Walz Accepts VP Nomination and Delivers “Pep Talk” to Rally Democrats

The Minnesota Governor shares his personal story and calls on Americans to join the fight for a better future under Kamala Harris’s leadership

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz officially accepted the Democratic vice presidential nomination on the third night of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago. Walz delivering a speech described as almost a “pep talk” as the crowd held signs reading Coach Walz, an ode to his high school football team coaching days.

I haven’t given a lot of big speeches like this, but I have given a lot of pep talks.

VP Nominee Tim Walz

He also used his time to connect with the audience by sharing his personal story and the challenges he and his wife Gwen faced while starting a family.

Walz is positioning himself as a staunch advocate for personal freedoms, encapsulating his philosophy in a straightforward message: “Mind your own damn business.” He worked to build a case for why the Democratic Party offers something better for the American people.

“I haven’t given a lot of big speeches like this, but I have given a lot of pep talks,” Walz admitted, drawing on his experience in motivating his sports teams. “Let me finish with this. Team, it’s the fourth quarter. We’re down a field goal, but we’re on offense and we got the ball. We’re driving down the field. And boy do we have the right team! Kamala Harris is tough!”

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See a photo gallery featuring Walz and other DNC Day 3 highlights here.

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In a rallying cry to the party faithful, Walz says, “Our job, for everyone watching, is to get in the trenches and do the blocking and tackling.”

Those words were met with enthusiastic applause, as he set the stage for what promises to be a hard-fought campaign under Harris’s leadership.

She is set to take the stage as the official presidential nominee Thursday night,