Clinton Chooses Va. Gov. Tim Kaine As VP

(AP)--Hillary Clinton says in a text message to supporters that she's picked Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine to join her on the Democratic ticket as their party's nominee for vice president.

In the message, Clinton says: "I'm thrilled to tell you this first: I've chosen Sen. Tim Kaine as my running mate."

Kaine is expected to join Clinton at a rally in Florida on Saturday.

A favorite since the start of Clinton's search for a running mate, Kaine is a former governor of the battleground state and former mayor of Richmond.

Kaine won election to the Senate four years ago after serving as the chairman of the Democratic National Committee.

Clinton is choosing Kaine from a group that included Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren.

Donald Trump's campaign already has a nickname for Hillary Clinton's new running mate: "Corrupt Kaine."

The Trump campaign calls Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine "ethically challenged," citing a Politico report that he accepted $160,000 in gifts from 2001 to 2009, when he was Virginia's lieutenant governor and governor.

Trump's senior communications adviser Jason Miller says "the Status Quo ticket of Clinton-Kaine wants us to believe in a rigged system that enriches them at your expense."

Earlier Friday, Trump sent supporters a text calling Clinton, Kaine and President Barack Obama "the ultimate insiders."

Clinton announced Friday night that Kaine would join her ticket. The running mates will campaign together in Miami on Saturday.