Tim Walz - Kamala Harris pick former football coach and teacher as running mate

Democratic nominee for di US presidential election Kamala Harris announce Tim Walz as her running mate on Tuesday, 6 August.

Di 60-year-old bring wit am a folksy, plain-spoken and sharp-tongued approach to di Republican opposition.

E also come wit a compelling resume - a public school teacher, football coach and National Guardsman bifor e enta politics.

Im political experience, representing a Republican-leaning district for Congress and den later passing left-wing policies as Minnesota governor, fit get broad appeal at a time wen American politics dey so polarised.

Mr Walz wey be native of rural Nebraska bin farm and hunt for im summertimes and enlist in di Army National Guard at 17. Im also serve in di volunteer force for 24 years.

Im papa, a public school administrator, encourage am to join di military bifor e die of lung cancer wen Mr Walz bin dey 19 years.

Di Minnesota governor don speak of how Social Security survivor benefits sustain im mama, and dat di GI Bill pay for im college education.

Armed with teaching degrees, Mr Walz take on a one-year teaching post for China around di time of di Tiananmen Square massacre.

E later spend honeymoon for di kontri wit im wife Gwen Whipple and also organise summer educational trips to China for US students.

Afta e return home to Nebraska, Mr Waltz become a teacher and American football coach until im wife wey be anoda teacher for di school draw am back to native Minnesota. Dem stay dia and get two pikin dem.

As a coach for Mankato West High School, Mr Walz help to build up one American football programme wey lead di school to dia first state championship.

E also earned plaudits for agreeing to be di faculty adviser for di school gay-straight alliance at a time wen homosexuality na wetin pipo dey frown upon.

Im entry into politics don dey seen as somtin wey dey accidental.

For 2004, e accompany two of im students to a George W Bush campaign rally, but di children - Democrats wearing John Kerry stickers - bin dey seen as "threat to di president" and dem ask dem to leave.

E incident vex am, and Mr Walz volunteer on di Kerry presidential campaign wey earn a, di contacts wey lead to im first run for Congress for 2006.

Mr Waltz run a largely agricultural district wey span across southern Minnesota, wey dey fairly rural and Republican-leaning.

But Mr Walz bin campaign as a moderate wey care about public service and veterans advocacy, leading to an election upset wey send di Republican incumbent packing. E bin win di district five more times afta dat.

Ova im 12 years for Congress, e bin dey hard to label im ideology.

E vote in favour of di Affordable Care Act, co-sponsored pro-labour measures, including one bill to raise di minimum wage, and back one unsuccessful cap-and-trade effort for reducing carbon emissions.

But e also find common cause wit Republicans.

E bin vote to continue funding di wars for Iraq and Afghanistan, support tighter vetting of refugees wey dey enter di US, and try to block di Obama-era bailout of banks and car companies afta di 2008 financial crash.

Once endorsed by di pro-gun National Rifle Association (NRA), wey donate to im campaign, e speak out in favour of one assault weapons ban afta di Parkland school shooting and lose dia backing.

Mr Walz bin win di 2018 Minnesota govnor race by more dan 11 points but im first term dey overshadowed by di Covid pandemic and di killing of George Floyd by one police officer for Minneapolis.

Republicans heavily criticise Mr Walz say e dey slow to deploy di National Guard even as some protests grow violent.

But di govnor win re-election and im second term don oversee a busy period wit Democrats controlling di state legislature by a single seat.

Democrats don enshrine abortion rights, enact paid family and sick leave, strengthen gun laws, legalise cannabis for recreational use, fund universal free school meals and invest in affordable housing.

Di frenetic activity catch di eye of former President Barack Obama wey write: “If you need a reminder say elections get consequences, check out wetin dey happun for Minnesota.”

Largely unknown on di national scene, Mr Walz don quickly gather buzz in recent weeks for im sharp descriptions of Republicans.

"Dis na weird pipo on di other side," e recently tell MSNBC, one label wey don dey widely repeated. "Dem wan ban books. Dem wan be in your[doctor's] exam room."

But Republicans don dey quick to characterise wetin e don do for Minnesota as too radical for ordinary Americans.

Tom Emmer, di third-highest ranking Republican for di US House of Representatives, accuse Mr Walz of trying "to turn Minnesota into Kamala Harris home state of California".

But allies, including labour leaders, believe say Mr Walz fit broaden Ms Harris appeal to rural and working class voters.

Angie Craig, wey be House Democrat lock in a competitive race for re-election, praise Mr Walz as "a battle-tested leader".

As "a proven winner wey neva lose election across many tough races", she tell di BBC she believe say e go be di best possible addition to di Harris ticket.