ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Tim Walz's dual role as Minnesota's governor and Vice President Kamala Harris' running mate was on full display Saturday as he attended a tailgate with Michigan football fans before going on the field to meet with Minnesota's coach.
Walz visited Ann Arbor to watch the University of Michigan and University of Minnesota teams play in what is expected to be his final major campaign appearance before Tuesday's vice presidential debate.
Earlier in the day, Walz was greeted at the airport by University of Michigan students, who had arrived in a bus bearing a banner that read ''Put Me In, Coach!'' Michigan won the game against Walz's home state school.
Walz has leaned into his background as a football coach and teacher while on the campaign trail as the Democrats look to drum up enthusiasm among young voters, with Walz having made multiple recent visits to university campuses.
The visit comes before the debate on Tuesday between Walz and Donald Trump's running mate, Republican Sen. JD Vance of Ohio. After Saturday's game, Walz traveled to northern Michigan for final debate prep before the faceoff.
Harris, meanwhile, held a fundraiser in San Francisco on Saturday, telling a crowd full of raucous supporters that ''so much is on the line in this election,'' as she talked about abortion bans in states and the U.S. Supreme Court's decision that granted broad immunity to presidents.
''I am convinced,'' she said. ''The American people are convinced that it is time to turn the page.''
She said the American people were ready for ''leadership that is optimistic,'' and that's why her supporters, including Republicans like former Vice President Dick Cheney ''are supporting our campaign because they want an American president who works for all the American people."
