Candidate Dynamics and Electoral Strategies

This week, Matt and Brian offer near-instant reaction to the news that Kamala Harris has nominated Minnesota Governor Tim Walz for the vice presidency. They discuss:

* The pros and cons of this decision;

* The factors that likely persuaded Harris to select Walz rather than a swing-state or red-state governor;

* How adding Walz to the ticket might shape the race and the future of the Democratic Party.

Then, behind the paywall, Politix looks at the veepstakes in a wider context of developments that might shape affect the outcome of the election. Will anything about this decision really matter if economic headwinds weaken the U.S. economy over the next three months? Is it more or less significant to domestic politics than a potential regional conflict in the Middle East? If it’s ultimately insignificant to politics, why did people factionalize around various vice-presidential contenders?

All that, plus the full Politix archive are available to paid subscribers—just upgrade your subscription and pipe full episodes directly to your favorite podcast app via your own private feed.

Further reading:

* Brian’s 24 thoughts on the Harris veepstakes.

* Matt on the politics of weirdness.

* Walz’s interview with Ezra Klein.