The dates are set. The locations are chosen. The only thing missing from Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate’s whirlwind campaign for the 2024 presidential election is his name.
After a weekend of interviewing finalists, the candidate must choose her teammate before the two leave Tuesday for a tour of key states, where they will introduce the new Democratic ticket to voters and highlight the stakes of the election.
This means that she could announce her choice within a few hours.
Kamala Harris’ campaign has been fast-paced, out of necessity. She has only been a candidate for a little over two weeks, since President Joe Biden dropped out of the race following a poor debate performance and escalating calls within the Democratic Party for him to step down.
The chairman of the Democratic National Committee said Friday that Mr.me Harris had already won enough votes to become the party’s nominee. She will accept the nomination Monday night, when voting officially ends.
Separately, about 8 in 10 Democrats say they would be somewhat or very satisfied if Kamala Harris becomes the Democratic presidential nominee, according to an Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll conducted after Biden withdrew from the race.
Six in the race
Kamala Harris has had to conduct a condensed review of her potential running mates ahead of the party convention, meaning there is little time left for supporters and opponents of the various choices to have their say.
Mme Harris met with at least three contenders Sunday in Washington. They are Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro; Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly; and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. Three others were in the running: Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker; Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear; and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.
Some congressional Democrats have promoted Mark Kelly, a former Navy pilot and astronaut whose state shares a 370-mile border with Mexico, saying his selection could help defuse Trump’s arguments that the Biden-Harris administration’s immigration policies are too soft.
Shapiro also has prominent supporters, including Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker, who caused a stir Friday when she posted a video showing several Philadelphia-area officials and Democrats promoting Harris with Shapiro as her running mate. A person familiar with Parker’s thinking said she was unaware of Shapiro’s intentions.me Harris.
As Kamala Harris moved closer to a decision, Mr. Kelly and Mr. Shapiro saw their critics grow louder.
As for Tim Walz, who is in his second term as governor of Minnesota, he has made his state a bastion of liberal politics and, this year, one of the few states to protect fans who buy tickets online to Taylor Swift concerts and other live events. He comes from rural America and in his first race for Congress, Mr. Walz defeated a Republican incumbent.
Rally even the Republicans
Kamala Harris and whoever her running mate is will begin an aggressive seven-state tour on Tuesday, kicking off Tuesday in Philadelphia and continuing through Wisconsin, Michigan, North Carolina, Georgia, Arizona and Nevada.
His early rallies have drawn thousands of enthusiasts. Democratic campaign officials say each stop will feature local election officials, religious leaders, union members and others to show the diversity of his coalition. They say some Republicans will also join him.
This week, the Harris campaign launched the Republicans for Harris program. It’s a “campaign within a campaign,” according to M’s team.me Harris, who is tapping into well-known Republicans and their networks, with an emphasis on voters who supported former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley in the primary.
Campaign officials are aware that the current enthusiasm for their candidate may be fleeting and are trying to capitalize on the current energy. They are tempering expectations by emphasizing that the race with Republican nominee Donald Trump remains tight.
However, Kamala Harris’ campaign has brought back into play a number of states that were feared to be out of reach for the Democratic Party when Mr Biden was leading the way.