Hillary Clinton has announced Tim Kaine, a 58-year-old centrist senator from Virginia, as her running mate.

The Democratic presidential candidate broke the news in a tweet on July 22. She plans a formal announcement on July 23.

Hillary Clinton passed over more left-leaning candidates in favor of Tim Kaine, who is a strong supporter of free-trade agreements.

Tim Kaine’s home state of Virginia is a major battleground in the coming election.

He speaks fluent Spanish and could help the Clinton campaign maintain its support among Hispanic Americans – a growing voting bloc.

Photo Reuters

An experienced politician who has been toughly vetted, Tim Kaine is considered a “safe” choice for the vice-president slot. He personally opposes abortion but supports abortion rights.

Tim Kaine was a finalist to be Barack Obama’s running mate in 2008 and served as Virginia governor before his time in the Senate.

Hillary Clinton also reportedly interviewed liberal firebrand Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Senator Cory Booker, an African-American senator from New Jersey. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack was said to have been on her shortlist.

Meanwhile, Donald Trump, in a text to his supporters, described President Barack Obama, Hilalry Clinton and Tim Kaine as “the ultimate insiders” and appealed to voters to not “let Obama have a third term”.

GOP chief Reince Priebus tweeted scornfully: “Hillary Clinton’s choice of Tim Kaine does nothing to unify a fractured Democrat base repelled by her dishonesty and cronyism.”