An NPR/PBS/Marist poll released on the morning of August 6 (local time) shows that the majority of Americans do not know much about Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.
The poll found that 71% of Americans said they had never heard of Mr. Walz or had no opinion about the 60-year-old governor.
In the same poll, 53% of respondents admitted they had never heard of Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro - one of the two candidates on the final list that Ms. Harris considered to be her running mate. 25% of respondents said they supported this figure.
This means that Democrats will have to work hard to introduce Mr. Walz to the public in the coming weeks, as many voters are now hearing his name for the first time.
According to a July Morning Consult poll of 50 governors, Tim Walz is popular in his home state of Minnesota and is well-liked by local residents. Fifty-four percent of registered Minnesota voters are satisfied with Walz’s performance as governor, while 40 percent are dissatisfied.
Harris’s selection of Walz as her running mate is the latest move in an increasingly heated race for the White House. But the political climate appears to be helping Democrats, even though polls show a tight race.