With the US 2024 presidential election campaigns in full swing, Democratic nominee Kamala Harris has picked a running mate, which should give a greater look into her crypto policy. Indeed, Harris took to X (formerly Twitter) to announce her selection of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.
Experts have said Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, and US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg were also in the running. Conversely, The crypto market anxiously awaited the decision. Many viewed it as a chance for Harris to more thoroughly define her stance on digital assets. So, let’s explore what the Walz selection means for those policies.
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Harris Picks Governor Maz as Running Mate: Where Does He Stand on Crypto?
Over the last several months, crypto has emerged as a political topic. Moreover, it is beginning to be less of a bipartisan topic. Republican nominee and former President Donald Trump has firmly embraced the asset. Alternatively, Harris has not.
That is why Kamala Harris’ decision for a running mate was set to have a massive impact on her crypto stance. With Minnesota Governor Tim Walz accepting the selection, does her position on the asset class become more defined? Well, not really.
The reality is, none of the vice president nominees were firmly entrenched in a pro-Bitcon position. Walz has never outwardly discussed his stance on the asset class. However, his political actions have shown his interest in stricter regulation.
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During his time governing Minnesota, Walz approved legislation that increased regulation on crypto kiosks, according to AARP. According to Digital Chamber Chief Policy Officer, Cody Carbone, this doesn’t bode well for the democratic position with crypto voters.
“Wals has been somewhat of a blank slate on cryptocurrency, like his running mate,” Carbone told The Block. “We’re hopeful that VP Harris’ reported interest in being more crypto-forward will also be affirmed by her new running mate.”
Carbone added that the two have “a lot of ground to make up” to cryptocurrency voters. To this point, the asset class is not a focus of Harris. Yet, that could change. Bitcoin’s growth in 2024 should prove its importance to the future of finance and digital evolution in the United States.