Hillary Clinton picks Tim Kaine as her veep: Clinton opts for 58-year-old senator and former governor from crucial swing state Virginia (photos)

Hillary Clinton has tapped Tim Kaine to be her running mate.

The Democratic candidate for president announced the news in a text message to her supporters.

'I'm thrilled to tell you this first: I've chosen Sen. Tim Kaine as my running mate. Welcome him to our team.'

She sent out a similar messages several minutes later that described the Virginia legislator as 'a man who's devoted his life to fighting for others.’

The messages were marked with an ‘H’ – the Clinton campaign’s way of saying the candidate wrote them herself.

She said in a follow-up tweet that Kaine ‘is a relentless optimist who believes no problem is unsolvable if you put in the work to solve it.'

Kaine then confirmed the news on Twitter. He wrote: 'Just got off the phone with Hillary. I’m honored to be her running mate. Can’t wait to hit the trail tomorrow in Miami!'

The usually quick-on-the trigger Donald Trump took nearly two hours to release a statement tearing into his new opponent.

When he finally did, Trump said, 'It's only fitting that Hillary Clinton would select an ethically challenged insider like Tim Kaine who's personally benefited from the rigged system.'

'If you think Crooked Hillary and Corrupt Kaine are going to change anything in Washington, it's just the opposite,' he proclaimed.










The selection of the former Democratic Party head came as no shock to the political world: the longtime Clinton ally was the favorite for the position given his familiarity with the candidate and her husband Bill.

Kaine checks almost every box that presidential candidates typically consider when looking at applications. The 58-year-old has executive experience having served as Virginia’s governor. And he represents a battleground state with 13 electoral votes.

Additionally, the U.S. senator sits on the Armed Services and Foreign Affairs Committees in the upper chamber. Adding to the one-time Democratic National Committee chairman’s appeal is his proven ability to raise funds for political candidates.

Clinton sent a long email to her supporters Friday night introducing them to 'Tim' - 'a lifelong fighter for progressive causes and one of the most qualified vice presidential candidates in our nation's history.'

The Virginia lawmaker was born in St. Paul, Minnesota. While at Harvard Law School he 'took an unconventional path,' Clinton said, and left school for a year to do missionary work in Honduras.

After graduation he became a civil rights lawyer in Richmond, Virginia. It wasn't until 17 years later that he sought political office. He ran for city council and won.

'To the people in Richmond, an underfunded school wasn't a Democratic or Republican problem. It was simply a problem that needed fixing, and his constituents were counting on him to solve it. So Tim would do it. He'd roll up his sleeves and get the job done, no matter what,' Clinton said of her new running mate.

Kaine's 'commitment to delivering results has stayed with him throughout his decades-long career as a public servant,' she said.