Tim Walz unites AOC and Democratic foe Joe Manchin as party rallies around VP pick: 'It's really kind of nuts'

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is basking in newfound Democratic unity, remarking that it's 'really kind of nuts' both her and centrist Sen. Joe Manchin approve of Kamala Harris' VP pick. 

Harris selected Minnesota Governor Tim Walz to be her running mate following days of anticipation. 

The 60-year-old father-of-two is a former U.S. congressman, school teacher and served more than two decades in the Army National Guard. He was seen as a more liberal pick than fellow frontrunner Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro. 

But Walz is surprisingly unifying among more centric Democrats and the progressive left.  

'It's really kind of nuts. I am trying to think about the last time Senator Manchin and I, respectfully, were on the same side of an issue,' she said on Instagram Live on Tuesday. 

Manchin, who left the Democratic Party to become an Independent last year and regularly butts heads with AOC, also praised Walz. 

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is basking in the newfound Democratic unity, remarking that it's 'really kind of nuts' both her and centrist Sen. Joe Manchin approve of Kamala Harris ' VP pick

'My friend Governor Tim Walz will bring normality back to the most chaotic political environment that most of us have ever seen.'

'I can think of no one better than Governor Walz to help bring our country closer together and bring balance back to the Democratic Party. Governor Walz is the real deal. I look forward to continuing to work with him to bring normalcy back to Washington,' Manchin went on. 

Ocasio-Cortez, meanwhile, called Walz an 'excellent decision.' 

'Dems in disconcerting levels of array' she wrote on X earlier. 

'It's really kind of nuts. I am trying to think about the last time Senator Manchin and I, respectfully, were on the same side of an issue,' she said on Instagram Live on Monday

As governor, Walz codified the right to abortion, signed universal free school meals, legalized recreational marijuana and gave voting rights to former prisoners. He approved legislation to allow illegal immigrants to have drivers' licenses. 

He is a close ally of the LGBTQ+ community, serving as a faculty advisor to the first gay-straight alliance at the high school when he was a teacher and later as governor with efforts to ban 'conversion therapy' for youths in the state. 

Walz likes to tout health care access in his state. His administration has implemented drug pricing transparency requirements and reached a deal with Eli Lilly to cap insulin prices in the state.

Harris announced she had picked Tim Walz, the governor of Minnesota, as her running mate on Tuesday morning

The 60-year-old is credited with being the person who started the trend of calling Republicans 'weird' for their actions and policies.  

On July 23, Walz appeared on MSNBC. It's believed to be how 'weird' took off nationally with everyone from the vice president to Democratic pundits jumping in.

'We do not like what has happened, when you can’t even go to Thanksgiving dinner with your uncle because you end up in some weird fight that is unnecessary,' Walz said. 'Well, it’s true. These guys are just weird.'

Republicans have already seized on his liberal leanings. Last month, Walz pushed back that Democrats should not shy away from progressive values. 

'One person’s socialism is another person’s neighborliness,' he said.