Today is the third day of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Democratic delegates officially nominated Vice President Kamala Harris for president and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz for vice president this week.

Cory Vaillancourt joins Midday from Chicago to discuss the latest news in national politics. He is the politics editor for the Smoky Mountain News, headquartered in Waynesville, North Carolina amid the the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains. Vaillancourt is also a contributor to several public radio stations, NPR and the Washington Post.

Could rural voters be the key to victory in 2024? Analysts say Walz and Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, the Republican vice presidential nominee, were chosen in part due to their supposed appeal to rural voters, particularly rural white voters. Other than geography, what about the pair do their respective parties hope appeal to these voters?

Email us at [email protected], tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.