Vice President Kamala Harris is set to unveil her running mate by Tuesday morning, bringing an end to two weeks of speculation as the United States approaches November’s presidential election.
Harris conducted interviews with several top candidates in Washington, D.C. over the weekend, including Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, and Arizona Senator Mark Kelly.
The chosen candidate will accompany Harris on an extensive five-day campaign tour across seven cities, focusing on critical battleground states.
According to a recent CBS poll, Harris and former President Donald Trump are in a tight national race, with Harris holding a narrow one-point lead over her Republican adversary. The same poll indicates a tie in battleground states, where Trump maintained a five-point advantage while President Joe Biden remains an active contender.
Following the anticipated announcement on Tuesday, a campaign video will be released, followed by a collaborative rally in Philadelphia that evening. Harris has reportedly worked closely with her vetting team, led by former Attorney General Eric Holder, to assess various candidates and potential political vulnerabilities.
Over the weekend, Harris had meetings with key contenders, including Walz, Shapiro, and Kelly. She also engaged with Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg on Friday and has been in discussions with other candidates via virtual meetings.
On Monday, a campaign spokesperson clarified that no decision has been finalized regarding Harris’s running mate, despite speculation circulating in the media.
In a significant milestone, the Democratic National Committee concluded a virtual roll call vote, officially nominating Harris as the first Black and South Asian American candidate for a major U.S. party’s presidential campaign.
The campaign surrounding Harris has been marked by various lobbying efforts, both in support of and against certain candidates. Shapiro has faced criticism from some progressive groups due to his support for private school vouchers and his pro-Israel stance.
The Philadelphia rally will kick off a series of campaign events in Wisconsin, Michigan, North Carolina, Georgia, and Arizona, culminating in a final event in Las Vegas, Nevada, on August 10.
Trump and his running mate, J.D. Vance, have downplayed the significance of Harris’s choice, suggesting it won’t alter the dynamic of the election. Vance expressed on a recent podcast that he believes the vice-presidential selection has little bearing on voter decisions, which he claims will primarily revolve around either Donald Trump or Kamala Harris.
However, Trump did voice criticism of Shapiro on a recent broadcast, suggesting that Harris might alienate her base if she selects him. Shapiro has since expressed support for a two-state solution after previously facing scrutiny over past remarks on the Palestinian issue.
