While the 24/7s fixate on Donald Trump’s legal dramas, Joe Biden’s age concerns, and Kamala Harris’s ascent, they’re missing the real story. Tim Walz, Minnesota’s amiable governor, is quietly becoming the dark horse candidate America didn’t know it needed.

Welcome to 2024, where dad bods are hot, dad jokes hit harder than an Ali punch, and a “Dad Veep” might just be the ticket to the White House.

Historically, vice presidential picks have been exercises in cautious calculation. The bland, “do no harm” choices of the past read like a who’s who of political wallpaper.

A hundred bucks says you couldn’t pick Tim Kaine out of a police lineup. Remember Dan Quayle? How about the competent but colorless Walter Mondale? These selections were designed to balance the ticket without overshadowing the presidential nominee – safe, predictable, and utterly forgettable.

But times are changing. In an era where authenticity bests polish and relatable beats remarkable, Tim Walz stands out by blending in.

As the current Governor of Minnesota and a former high school teacher and football coach, Walz’s appeal lies in his ordinariness – a quality that, paradoxically, has become extraordinary in the realm of high-stakes politics.

Conservatives don’t know how to attack. He can shoot a gun, fix a car — and believes women have the right to choose?!

He worked the schools. Walz and his wife used IVF to conceive. He does not own a stock. He doesn’t understand the average American. He is the average American.

The stadiums are rocking for a reason. And while Harris has undeniable momentum, there’s only one newcomer in the presidential field. You’ll spot him because he’s the one laughing at his own jokes. Loudly and earnestly.

So while the pundits scramble to predict the next move in the electoral chess board, they’d do well to pay attention to the Walz wild card, and all the optimism that imbues.

In a twist that no one saw coming, the key to the White House might just be held by a guy who looks like he could be your next-door neighbor – because in many ways, he is.