Minnesota’s delegation at tonight’s roll call vote will be represented by a former student who used to call Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz by the nickname Vice President Kamala Harris and Democrats around the country have embraced wholeheartedly: “Coach.”
Hans Storvick, a former student of Walz in Mankato, Minnesota, who ran on the middle school track team Walz coached, will speak on behalf of the Minnesota delegation at the Democratic National Convention’s roll call vote in Chicago on Tuesday.
Storvick’s older brother, Kris, also played on the high school football team Walz coached. He’s expected to speak about the impact Walz had on him and his brother, who passed away recently.
Also speaking on behalf of the Minnesota delegation will be NFL Hall of Fame defensive tackle John Randle, who played eleven seasons for the Minnesota Vikings.
Storvick and Randle’s place in the convention proceedings are part of the Harris campaign’s effort to brand the Minnesota governor as “Coach Walz,” an effort that has caught on with supporters at her campaign events. When Walz or Harris will reference his background coaching football, supporters will regularly chant the word “Coach,” often interrupting the remarks.
Minnesota Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith are also expected to speak on behalf of the Minnesota delegation.
They’ll be joined virtually by Minnesotans participating in the roll call virtually from US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, the home stadium of the Minnesota Vikings.