United States – Vice President Kamala Harris was expected to decide her running mate by Tuesday after holding interviews with potential candidates over the weekend at her home in Washington, two sources familiar with the matter told.
Harris’ pick could be made at any time before she comes out in public with the vice presidential candidate on Tuesday in Philadelphia before they embark on a tour of multiple swing states that will probably determine the outcome of the election, the sources mentioned, as reported by Reuters.
Final Candidates
Barring any last-minute change, Harris wrapped up her search by meeting the three leading contenders–Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, U. S. Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona, and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro— at her Naval Observatory home in Washington on Sunday, sources stated.
The sources informed that the vice president had a 90-minute meeting with Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg on Friday and has also been conducting interviews virtually. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear and Illinois Governor J. B. Pritzker are the other two contenders for the position.
Harris’s initial search for a running mate only commenced two weeks ago, when Biden stepped down from the vice presidency race and supported Harris’s candidacy.
This decision is one of the most important decisions of Harris’ political career, as she quickly formed a campaign to defeat Trump in the election on November 5.
Harris has made a short list consisting of all the white men who have managed to clinch rural, white, or independent votes in the past.
The Search Process
At the weekend, Harris consulted with her vetting committee, which consisted of Eric Holder, a former attorney general who, with his law firm Covington & Burling LLP, conducted the financial and personal checks of possible vice-presidential candidates. Holder and his office provided detailed briefings about each one of the finalists, various sources familiar with the process revealed.
Harris has been considering the choice with her spouse, Doug Emhoff, brother-in-law Tony West, and a few staff members and consultants, the sources added.
Announcement Details
The sources further said that the candidates would receive a call from the panel on Monday night or Tuesday morning to determine whether they were picked.
Harris’ campaign is also likely to make a joint announcement on social media regarding the two, according to campaign officials who were informed of the details.
SEVEN CITIES IN FIVE DAYS
On her battleground states tour, Harris and her new running mate will hit seven cities in five days: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Eau Claire, Wisconsin; Detroit, Michigan; Durham, North Carolina; Savannah, Georgia; Phoenix, Arizona; and Las Vegas, Nevada, information disclosure by an unnamed campaign official.
They will stage a rally in each area on the tour, places such as college campuses, historically Black colleges and universities, union halls, and restaurants, said the official.
His running mate, JD Vance, the Republican vice presidential nominee, will also pay a campaign visit to South Philadelphia on Tuesday.
This weekend, Harris’ team rolled out a get-out-the-vote initiative to inspire Republicans to vote for the Democrat and announced that she has the blessings of former Trump’s White House staff – Stephanie Grisham and Olivia Troye.
Republican Response
This new initiative, known as Republicans for Harris, will host its launch rallies in Arizona, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania on Monday.
Republican micro-messengers will attend events hosted by Harris and her still-unannounced running partner and coordinate field and advertising to engage Republicans, as reported by Reuters.
On Monday, Harris received another union endorsement as the hospitality workers union lauded her for always coming through for unionized workers.