Clinton selects Kaine as running mate

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has selected Tim Kaine, a centrist senator from Virginia, as her running mate.

Clinton broke the news in a tweet late on Friday. She plans a formal announcement on Saturday.

Clinton passed over more left-leaning candidates in favour of the 58-year-old senator, who is a strong supporter of free-trade agreements.

His home state of Virginia is a major battleground in the coming election.

Who is Tim Kaine?

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

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

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

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.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, in a text to his supporters, described President Obama, Clinton and Kaine as "the ultimate insiders" and appealed to voters to not "let Obama have a third term".

Republican Party 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."