Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine is Hillary Clinton’s pick for Vice President.
The announcement was made Friday evening, not long after making a planned rally in Tampa, Florida.
Kaine, 58, has been a favorite for the vice presidential slot since the start of Clinton's search process. He has been active in the Senate on foreign relations and military affairs and built a reputation for working across the aisle as Virginia's governor and mayor of Richmond.
"I'm glad the waiting game is nearly over," Kaine told reporters Thursday after an event in northern Virginia, deflecting questions about whether he was about to join the ticket.
I'm thrilled to announce my running mate, @TimKaine, a man who's devoted his life to fighting for others. -H pic.twitter.com/lTVyfztE5Z
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) July 23, 2016
Kaine's selection is not without complication. Liberals have expressed wariness of Kaine for his support of putting the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement on a "fast track" to approval, which both Clinton and primary rival Bernie Sanders oppose. They also note that Kaine recently signed onto a letter asking for less burdensome regulation of regional banks.
But President Barack Obama has told the campaign he believes Kaine would be a strong choice, according to a Democratic familiar with the search who was not authorized to discuss it publicly.
Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, a Democrat and ally of the Clintons, will have to choose a temporary replacement for Kaine, but the race for the remainder of Kaine's term would take place in 2017, raising the possibility that Republicans could win the seat. He was scheduled to attend fundraisers Friday and Saturday in Massachusetts.
Cox Media Group
