Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz accepted his party's nomination for vice president Wednesday and used his Democratic National Convention address to thank the packed arena for “bringing the joy” to an election transformed by the elevation of his running mate, Vice President Kamala Harris. “We're all here tonight for one simple, beautiful reason: We love this country," Walz said. "It's the honor of my life to accept your nomination for Vice President of the United States," he said to a roaring crowd. Democrats gathered at Chicago’s United Center were hoping to build on the momentum Harris has brought since taking over the top of the party’s presidential ticket last month. They want to harness the Democratic exuberance that followed President Joe Biden stepping aside while also making clear to their supporters that they face a fierce battle with former President Donald Trump. Many Americans had never heard of Walz until Harris made him her running mate. Walz begins his speech by talking about his small-town upbringing in Butte, Nebraska, where not everyone believed the same thing or loved the same way, but says, “Everybody belongs, and everybody has a responsibility to contribute.” Walz went through his professional resuming, starting with his work as a high school teacher and coach. “It was those players and my students who inspired me to run for Congress,” he said. “I learned how to work across the aisle on issues like growing the rural economies and taking care of veterans.” Walz said, “Never underestimate a public school teacher,” as he describes how he won a seat in Congress after a career as a teacher with no prior political experience.