Media hypes 'folksy' Tim Walz, says progressive governor brings 'centrist Midwesterner' persona to Dem ticket

The legacy media appears to be in lockstep in their coverage of Vice President Kamala Harris' "folksy" running mate, Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. 

"We've learned that Harris was impressed by Governor Walz's presence, he had sort of a joyful presence, a folksy charm to him," CNN's Jim Acosta said during Tuesday's breaking news of his selection. 

"Walz appears to fit the all-American definition of a man from Middle America. High school teacher, football coach, member of the Army National Guard before becoming a member of Congress and now governor," ABC's George Stephanpoulos hyped Walz's resume. 

"Exactly. He really has that perfect backstory," ABC News correspondent Selina Wang agreed. "He also has those rural roots, and he's really emerged as the dark horse in this veepstakes race…. He has this folksy, personal, informal vibe that has really appealed to a lot of Democrats. And they believe that his rural backstory, the fact that he was a former member of the NRA… he is this former high school teacher, he was a football coach, that this can help appeal to those independent swing state voters."

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CBS News correspondent Robert Costa praised Walz as someone who comes off as "easy going" who can "crack a joke" and, despite how progressives in the House adore him, he presents himself as a "centrist Midwesterner in persona." 

"I’m telling you… there’s something appealing about a guy for people who say is as comfortable talking in a t-shirt and a baseball cap as he is talking in a suit, as he is talking in a tuxedo," CBS' Gayle King told viewers.

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MSNBC host Michael Steele rejected conservative critics' description of Harris-Walz as a "progressive" ticket, insisting the Minnesotan's years-old voting record in Congress was "far from progressive."

"I think you got the Hillbilly Elegy versus the real hillbilly," Steele jokingly said in reference to Walz's Republican vice-presidential rival Sen. JD Vance.

As The Federalist senior editor David Harsanyi highlighted on X, many news organizations put a spotlight on Walz's "folksy demeanor" both before and after he was officially tapped by Harris. 

"The two-term governor and former House member has gained notice for folksy rebukes of Trump and support for progressive policies in his state," NBC News wrote. 

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"The 60-year-old brings with him a folksy, plain-spoken and sharp-tongued approach to taking on the Republican opposition," BBC similarly reported. 

Financial Review published a headline, "Folksy attack dog: Why Harris chose Tim Walz as VP."

NPR politics reporter Alana Wise wrote, "The folksy Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz was named vice presidential pick for Kamala Harris’ campaign — and America’s dad by some social media users."

"Democrats hope that what they see as Walz’s folksy relatability will help with working-class voters — a constituency that connected with Biden, helping the president win back the ‘Blue Wall’ states in 2020," Politico wrote. 

On ABC’s "Good Morning America," correspondent Selina Wang said Harris was "won over by Walz’s folksy, straight-forward manner." 

The New York Times also reported that Harris ended her VP search by "elevating the folksy Midwesterner who turned the word ‘weird’ into the signature political attack of the summer."

Harris announced Walz would be her running mate after weeks of veepstakes speculation. 

"As a governor, a coach, a teacher, and a veteran, he's delivered for working families like his. It's great to have him on the team," Harris posted on X. 

While Democrats have quickly embraced the Harris-Walz ticket, Republicans expressed their own sigh of relief as they fretted that Harris would pick popular Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, concluding that the must-win Keystone State is still in play on the electoral map. 

Fox News Digital's Brian Flood contributed to this report.