In tapping Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota for her running mate, Kamala Harris is experimenting with a quality not often seen in high-level national politics: the goofball factor.

Part of Walz’s charm is his lack of political polish: his penchant for silly jokes and faces, his willingness to risk looking ridiculous (I trust you’ve seen the piglet pic), his smiley, gee-whiz amazement. The goofball factor is slightly different from the Regular-Guy vibe or the Small-Town vibe — although there is considerable overlap. Hailing from a culture that values tater tots can convey a real edge in the goofball department.

Many of us have a friend like Walz: the dorky dad/cousin/high school geography teacher who loves to make his wife or kids roll their eyes at him. If you haven’t seen the “Turkey is meat” exchange between the governor and his daughter, check it out. I’ll wait.

As a political matter, the goofball factor risks making one seem unpresidential. But for a V.P. contender, there are upsides. One, it helps the ticket seem less intimidating, more relatable, and certainly less patronizing. I mean, it’s hard to look down on folks while snuggling a pig.

More specifically, it allows Walz to serve as an attack dog without seeming mean. At the rally in Pennsylvania on Tuesday, he tossed off multiple zingers — about Trump’s criminality, about how “creepy and weird as hell” the Republican ticket is and even about JD Vance’s apocryphal affection for couches — while sounding downright genial.

I watched Walz’s remarks repeatedly, mostly to observe Harris’s reactions. Mostly, she nodded along, smiling indulgently or looking thoughtfully concerned as the moment dictated. Now and then, she’d laugh and clap. For the more eyebrow-raising bits — including the couch line — she looked to be consciously tamping down her reaction, even fighting not to burst out laughing.

This speaks to how Walz could be of particular value to Harris. Too often, women can have a hard time convincing some people that they have the gravitas to be strong leaders. Harris in particular has faced a … weird amount of criticism over her laugh, which many voters think makes her seem unserious and not that bright.

Simply by contrast, Walz’s dorky dad energy could aid Harris’s quest to seem more presidential. She can play the straight woman, staying above the fray while he brings the fun with partisan barbs and groaners she could never get away with.

Everybody understands his or her mission. And Harris can steer clear of camo ball caps, hunting vests and farm animals for the duration.