Hillary Clinton Selects Tim Kaine as Her Vice Presidential Running Mate [UPDATE]

Hillary Clinton has selected U.S. Sen. Timothy M. Kaine of Virginia as her vice presidential running mate, settling on the former Richmond mayor and popular governor, a self-proclaimed "boring" public servant, to create a decidedly traditional ticket in an election year dominated by the unpredictable GOP nominee Donald Trump.

"I'm thrilled to tell you this first: I've chosen Sen. Tim Kaine as my running mate," Clinton wrote in a text to supporters Friday night.

The pair will take the stage together at a campaign stop Saturday in Miami and sit down for their first joint interview with "60 Minutes," to air Sunday evening.

Daniel Palazzolo, chairman of the University of Richmond’s Political Science Department, said Kaine's experience could be a factor in the election.

“He has a broad range of governing experience, most importantly," he told The Washington Post. "I don’t think that should be understated, especially this year.”

Sen. Mark Warner, a Virginia Democrat, tweeted, "I enthusiastically applaud" Clinton's selection of Kaine.

"He always finds reasons for hope and optimism in every situation, and he is centered by his faith and his family," Warner wrote in a statement. "Our country, and the Commonwealth of Virginia, will be very well-served by electing Tim Kaine as Vice President."

Reaction is mixed from the left, with some liberal supporters of Bernie Sanders viewing a Clinton-Kaine ticket as the final slight in the bitter Democratic Primary.

"Are we getting a 'bait and switch?'" actor and Sanders surrogate Mark Ruffalo commented on Twitter.

The reaction from the Republican Party was largely to paint Kaine as a centrist — nearly conservative — in hopes of stirring the acrimony on the left.

“Hillary Clinton’s choice of Tim Kaine does nothing to unify a fractured Democrat base which is repelled by her dishonesty and cronyism,” stated Reince Priebus, chairman of the Republican National Committee.

Who is Tim Kaine?

Voters have heard "Tim Kaine" and "vice president" mentioned a lot in the past few weeks. Not far from his name, they've probably also heard "safe pick." That's due, in part, to Kaine's relative under-the-radar status.

He was in Rhode Island for a long-scheduled fundraising party when the announcement was made and responded to his selection with a Twitter message.

“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!” he tweeted.

Who is Kaine, this man commonly known as "Tim," who could become vice president?

A quick primer:

• Born in 1958, he's a freshman U.S. senator, former Democratic National Committee chair, Virginia governor and Richmond, Virginia, mayor.
• He's never lost an election.
• He's a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
• He's a devout Catholic who personally opposes abortion but nonetheless is "pro choice."
• He's the favored pick of former president Bill Clinton (you know, Hillary's husband), according to Thursday's New York Times.
• He's a self-described "boring" politician.

On the last point, Virginia Republican Jerry Kilgore has a warning.

Boring? Yeah. Boring like a fox.

More at Patch: Who Is Tim Kaine? 'Boring,' Spanish Speaker, Harmonica Enthusiast

Kilgore lost to Kaine in the state's 2005 gubernatorial race. And, as he told Richmond Times-Dispatch political columnist Jeff Schapiro on Wednesday, dismiss Kaine at your peril.

"He's a great debater," Kilgore said. "He's a great speaker. That's where they have to be careful (because) he comes across as less threatening, as a moderate."

In other words, with due respect to The Greatest, he floats like a butterfly and stings like a bee.

Kaine on the ticket could help win Virginia, considered a toss-up state, in the general election. The state voted for Obama in the past two elections by slim margins and has gone Republican in past presidential elections at least since 1976.

Kaine is steadfastly loyal to the party, and in a handful of appearances with Clinton, he has shown an unmistakable rapport with the presidential candidate. Clinton and Kaine shared the stage July 14 at an event in Northern Virginia.

"Do you want a 'You're fired!' president or a "You're hired!' president?'" Kaine asked the crowd. "Do you want a trash talker or a bridge builder?"

"I like that one a lot," Clinton said of Kaine's "trash talker" line. The rally ended with the two fist-bumping.

More at Patch:

• Hillary Clinton, Tim Kaine Campaign in Northern Virginia
• Tim Kaine: Trump Would Pose 'Unprecedented Danger' as Commander In Chief

War, Peace and Politics

Kaine is a Democrat who has challenged President Barack Obama on a number of issues, including the need for Congressional approval on military action. "There is no more important business done in the halls of Congress," Kaine said on the Senate floor in 2014.

Kaine has been critical of Trump during this campaign cycle.

"Trump has called the U.S. military a 'disaster' — no major party nominee seeking the Commander in Chief role has ever spoken about our troops with such disrespect," Kaine told reporters in June.‎ "His proposal to ban Muslims from entering the country flies in the face of America's tradition of religious freedom, and experts agree that it plays right into terrorists' hands. While Hillary Clinton's experience in protecting American prosperity and security at home and abroad proves she is well-prepared to lead this nation, Donald Trump poses an unprecedented danger to our country and the entire world."

Kaine's always been the guy with the street cred among moderate Democrats — he was reportedly a finalist for Obama's veep position in 2008.

From Kilgore: “He certainly comes off as inoffensive, but on policy, he’s a regular tax-and-spend Democrat.”

Yet, as former Virginia congressman Tom Davis, a Republican, recently told The Washington Post: “It’s hard to find any flies on Tim Kaine. He’s a thoroughly honest and decent man.”

The Senate Majority Factor

Kaine is also in the Senate, which potentially could be problematic for Clinton. Sure, Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe would pick his replacement, but that means an off-year special election in 2017.

In 2013, Republican challenger Ed Gillespie surprised observers from both sides of the aisle with his closer-than-expected challenge to incumbent Warner. Gillespie now has his eyes on a gubernatorial run in 2017.

Other than the presidency, the fate of control in the U.S. Senate will likely swing on the results in a handful of races. Democrats are poised to reclaim leadership after the November election, but they'll likely need two Democrats from Virginia.

“It’s got to be a factor,” Kilgore said. “Virginia is a swing state, and the Senate seat would certainly be in play. Besides, Republicans do very well in off-year elections.”

Includes reporting by Mary Ann Barton

Photo: Patch file, James Cullum