A Heartwarming Look at Minnesota Governor Tim Walz's Life With His Children

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has been dominating the headlines lately, especially for his outspoken critiques of today's Republican Party leaders. And that isn't all. According to AP News, he's officially been selected as current vice president Kamala Harris's running mate in the 2024 presidential race. Kamala will reportedly introduce Tim at a rally in Philadelphia on Aug. 6, 2024.

As we see more of Tim Walz in the limelight, folks are eager to learn more about him. For starters, does he have any children? Read on for all the known details.

In 1994, Tim Walz married his wife, Gwen Whipple. The happy couple settled in Mankato, Minn., where Tim taught and coached high school football.

It was in Mankato that Tim and Gwen also raised their two children! Their daughter, Hope, was born on Jan. 9, 2001, and their son, Gus, joined the family on Oct. 13, 2006.

In early March 2024, Tim Walz opened up about his family's journey with IVF. He shared with the Star Tribune that he and his wife underwent fertility treatments at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. for seven years, hoping each time for positive news — only to be met with disappointment.

Tim remembered the moment Gwen called him in tears: "I said, 'Not again,'" he recalled to the outlet. "She replied, 'No, I'm pregnant.' That's why we named our daughter Hope."

During his State of the State address on March 26, the governor briefly spoke about his family's IVF journey again and the challenging struggle they faced to conceive.

"If you have never personally gone through the hell of infertility, I guarantee you someone you know has," Tim said. "And I know that when Gwen and I were having trouble getting pregnant, the anxiety [and] the frustration would have blotted out the sun. All we wanted was something that seemed so simple: To have that child."

In early June 2024, vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance and Senate Republicans blocked the Right to IVF Act, Democratic legislation that aimed to secure the right to IVF treatment and protect doctors who provide it.

Then, in late July 2024, a 2021 interview clip resurfaced online in which J.D. Vance made demeaning remarks about people without children. Shortly after, another clip emerged in which Vance called for a "federal response" to stop women from traveling out of state for abortion care.

In response, Tim Walz took to X (formerly known as Twitter) on July 25 to criticize Vance.

"Even if you've never gone through the hell of infertility, someone you know has," he said, referring to his own experience with Gwen. "J.D. Vance opposing the miracle of IVF is a direct attack on my family and so many others."

Later that day, Tim appeared on MSNBC's Inside With Jen Psaki and continued his criticism of the Ohio senator. Acknowledging that July 25 was World IVF Day, he briefly shared his and Gwen’s IVF journey.

"Today's IVF Day. Thank God for IVF — my wife and I have two beautiful children," he said, adding, "He thinks he needs to dictate that?"