Tim Kaine has been announced as Hillary Clinton's vice presidential running mate - so what do we know about the senator?

1. The 58-year-old is one of only 20 people in US history to have served as a mayor, governor and senator during his career.

2. Since being elected to the Senate in 2012, he has served on committees for the armed services, foreign relations and budget matters - making him an ideal candidate to be Mrs Clinton's running mate in the eyes of some pundits.

3. Mr Kaine is also fluent in Spanish, known for his bipartisanship and hails from a battleground state which Mrs Clinton must win if she is to get the keys to the White House.

Image: Mr Kaine has been a senator for Virginia since 2012

4. Critics say that he is a dull choice to be Mrs Clinton's vice president - with Mr Kaine himself admitting in an interview with Meet The Press: "I'm boring. But boring is the fastest-growing demographic in this country."


5. A devout Catholic, Mr Kaine says his faith has been influential in his views on major policies.

He has previously worked as a missionary in Honduras, and as a civil rights lawyer.

6. He opposes the death penalty but did not block capital punishment during his time as governor, telling the Washington Post in 2012: "I really struggled with that as governor.

"I have a moral position against the death penalty. But I took an oath of office to uphold it.

"Following an oath of office is also a moral obligation."

7. The Democrat also personally abhors abortion, yet according to POLITICO, he has opposed Republican efforts to limit reproductive rights - including an attempt to defund Planned Parenthood, a controversial non-profit healthcare provider.

Image: Tim Kaine admitted he was 'boring' in a US TV interview

8. Liberal groups have been urging Mrs Clinton to avoid selecting Mr Kaine, as he supports the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TTP).

Critics of the deal say it could hit employment levels and disadvantage US workers.

Those opposed to TTP include Mrs Clinton - and even Donald Trump.

9. Mr Kaine's wife, Anne Holton, is Virginia's secretary of education.

They have three grown-up children called Nat, Woody and Annella.

10. According to the New York Times, he is the son of a welder who ran a small metalworking shop in a suburb of Kansas City - which could attract white males to vote for the ticket.