For some rural Democrats in Congress, the elevation of a presidential nominee from deep-blue, coastal California might hurt more than it helps. To balance the ticket, they’re arguing Kamala Harris needs to tap a running mate who can speak to voters in “fly-over” country.

At the top of their wish list: Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.

Although Harris outperforms President Joe Biden across key voting blocs, Democrats running in rural, competitive districts this fall fear the former California senator and attorney general is poised to do even worse there than the president — especially in battleground states in the upper Midwest. The 60-year-old Walz, who served 12 years in Congress representing a red, mostly rural southern Minnesota district, could bring the “guy you would meet at a backyard barbecue in the Midwest” vibes to the ticket, they argue, which could help hold off another Democratic free fall in rural regions.