Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz will seek to energize activists at Democratic state conventions in South Carolina and California on Saturday, as the party's 2024 vice presidential nominee works to keep up the high national profile he gained when Kamala Harris selected him as her running mate.
Walz, a former schoolteacher who went to Congress and then became his state's governor, will keynote the South Carolina gathering in Columbia, traditionally a showcase for national-level Democrats and White House hopefuls. Another leader who often appears on those lists, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, spoke Friday night at the party's fundraising dinner.
South Carolina held the first Democratic presidential primary of the 2024 campaign, and the party hopes for a repeat as first in line in 2028. But the national party organizations haven't settled their 2028 calendars yet, and party officials in Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada are also vying to go first.
"From the classroom to the governor's office, Tim Walz leads with compassion and common sense," the South Carolina party posted on social media earlier this month when it announced his appearance. "He's proof that you can govern with both heart and backbone, and he's bringing that message to South Carolina."
Walz, who's on a long list of potential 2028 candidates who have been traveling to early-voting states, will also be a featured speaker as California Democrats gather in Anaheim on Saturday.