Politics in America usually feels like a heavyweight boxing match where the referees are also fighting, but the 2024 race for the second-highest office in the land was something else entirely. If you’ve been asking who is running for vice president in 2024, you’re looking at a list that basically defines the two wildly different versions of the future being sold to voters. It wasn't just about picking a backup. It was about picking a "vibe" and a strategic bridge to voters the main candidates couldn't reach alone.
Honestly, it’s kinda fascinating how these two guys—JD Vance and Tim Walz—ended up on the same stage. You've got a millennial venture capitalist from Ohio who wrote a bestseller and a high school football coach from Minnesota who spent decades in the National Guard. It's like a movie script that got rejected for being too on the nose.
The Republican Choice: JD Vance
Donald Trump didn't go for a traditional "safe" pick like a Mike Pence 2.0. Instead, he chose Senator JD Vance of Ohio. Vance is younger than most people realize—at 40, he's the first millennial on a major party ticket. If you've ever seen the movie Hillbilly Elegy or read the book, that’s his life story. He grew up in Middletown, Ohio, amidst the rust-belt struggles he now talks about constantly on the trail.
Vance’s path to the VP spot was sort of a rollercoaster. He used to be a "Never Trumper." Seriously, he once called Trump "cultural heroin" and wondered if he might be "America's Hitler." But people change, or at least their politics do. By the time the 2024 convention in Milwaukee rolled around, Vance was the loudest defender of the "MAGA" movement.
Why Vance?
- The Rust Belt Connection: Trump needed someone who could talk to workers in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Vance speaks "Working Class" fluently.
- Youth Energy: At half Trump’s age, he brings a different kind of stamina to the campaign.
- The "New Right" Intellectual: He’s not just a politician; he’s part of a group that wants to fundamentally reshape how the government works.
He’s a Yale Law grad who worked in Silicon Valley, which is a weird contrast to his "man of the people" persona, but it’s a mix that clearly worked for the Republican base.
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The Democratic Choice: Tim Walz
When Kamala Harris took over the top of the ticket after Joe Biden stepped aside, the search for her partner was basically a sprint. She landed on Tim Walz, the Governor of Minnesota. If Vance is the intellectual firebrand, Walz is the "Midwestern Dad." He’s the guy who tells you how to fix your lawnmower while wearing a camo hat.
Before he was Governor, Walz was a teacher. He coached football. He served 24 years in the Army National Guard. This "normalcy" was exactly what the Democrats wanted to contrast against the more intense Republican ticket.
The "Coach" Factor
People started calling him "Coach Walz" almost immediately. He has this plain-spoken, folksy way of talking that makes complex policy sound like a halftime pep talk. He was the one who started calling the Republican ticket "weird," a label that went viral and basically reshaped the Democratic messaging for weeks.
He wasn't the only one in the running, though. Names like Josh Shapiro (Pennsylvania) and Mark Kelly (Arizona) were on the shortlist. But Harris apparently felt a personal connection with Walz. He told her, "How can I help?" instead of asking how much power he'd have. That kinda stuff matters in a partnership.
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The Third-Party Contenders
We can't talk about who is running for vice president in 2024 without mentioning the people outside the two-party system. Even if they don't have a shot at winning, they pull votes away from the big names, which can totally flip a swing state.
- Nicole Shanahan: She was the running mate for Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (before he suspended his campaign and backed Trump). She’s a tech lawyer and was once married to Google co-founder Sergey Brin.
- Butch Ware: A professor and activist running with Jill Stein on the Green Party ticket.
- Mike ter Maat: An economist and former police officer running with Chase Oliver for the Libertarians.
- Melina Abdullah: A professor and Black Lives Matter co-founder running with Cornel West.
Comparing the "Big Two"
It’s rare to see a VP race with such clear-cut archetypes.
Vance is focused on "America First" trade policies and strictly securing the border. He’s skeptical of foreign entanglements, especially the war in Ukraine. Walz, meanwhile, leans into progressive wins from Minnesota—like free school lunches and protecting reproductive rights.
The debate between them in October was surprisingly civil. They actually agreed on a few things, like the fact that housing is too expensive. But on the big stuff—climate change, the 2020 election, and healthcare—they are on different planets.
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What it means for you
The Vice President is always "one heartbeat away" from the presidency, which is a grim but true way to look at it. But in 2024, the VP candidates were also the primary messengers. They were sent to the places the presidential candidates couldn't go.
If you're trying to figure out which way to lean, look at their records, not just their speeches. Vance’s Senate record is short but pointed toward populism. Walz’s record in Minnesota is a blueprint for what a Harris-Walz administration might try to do nationally.
To get the full picture, you should look up the specific policy platforms on the official campaign websites. Also, check out non-partisan sources like Ballotpedia to see their voting histories or executive orders. Understanding their past is the only real way to predict their future in the White House.
Actionable Next Step: To see how these candidates' views might affect your specific interests, search for "Vance vs Walz on [Topic]" (e.g., taxes, healthcare, or student loans). Watching a few minutes of their individual town hall appearances is also a great way to get a feel for their communication styles beyond the scripted commercials.