Coming at the heels of the Republican National Committee’s convention, Hillary Clinton announced her choice of a running mate and eventual Vice Presidential pick, should she win the Presidential contest. Tim Kaine, a United States senator and former Governor of Virginia, has been crowned as the man to be beside Hillary for the next four years if she wins the nomination.
If you did not know who Tim Kaine was prior to the announcement that comes right before the Democratic National Committee’s convention, you’re not alone. But, it is important to know who he is, and most importantly what he stands for before we all head to the polls on November 8th. Senator Kaine currently holds the post as junior senator of Virginia, the same state which he was Governor between 2006 and 2010. He is undoubtedly an extremely experienced political figure, holding many influential offices within the Democratic party.
Pleasantries out of the way, Kaine is absolutely the most predictable V.P. pick that could have been proposed for the former Secretary of State. Among other things, Senator Kaine is deeply rooted within the Democratic party’s establishment (a reality that still haunts Clinton to this day) – and it is extremely apparent. Kaine is currently among the most prominent supporters of the extremely controversial Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), which Hillary and her primary opponent Senator Sanders have strongly come out against. This does not seem like much of a plus for the presidential-hopeful, especially considering her struggle to attract Bernie Sanders’ supporters to surge behind her.
Of course, there are definitely positives that Kaine brings to the Clinton bid. These include the expansion of early childhood education in the state of Virginia, as well as closing arms loopholes to prevent gun violence within Virginia. However, these policies are practically breadcrumbs for the progressive wing of the Democratic party, especially when one considers Kaine’s closeness to Wall Street. It remains to be seen if he will be received well as the former Secretary of State’s running mate, but one thing is for certain: he surely will not be raising any eyebrows.
