On August 5, 2024, in Washington, The search for a vice presidential running mate for Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris has been reduced down to two finalists, according to three sources with knowledge of the subject. These contenders are Governors Tim Walz of Minnesota and Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania.
It is anticipated that Harris, who is now serving as the Vice President of the United States, will make her announcement by Tuesday, before to her first public appearance with her running companion, which is slated to take place that evening at Temple University in Philadelphia.
Late on Monday night, Harris sent a message to her supporters in which she stated that she had not yet made a choice.
“I know many of you are eager to find out who I will be selecting to join me on the campaign trail, and hopefully in the White House, as my Vice President,” she concluded in her letter.
In her statement, she stated, “Although I have not yet made my decision, it is important to me that grassroots supporters – like you – have direct updates about the state of the race.” She also offered voters a chance to sign up on a website in order to receive updates on the announcement before it is received.
As Harris rapidly puts up a campaign to face Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and U.S. Senator JD Vance, his choice for vice president, in the election that will take place on November 5, the choice of a running mate is one of the most crucial decisions that she has made in her political career. Additionally, on Tuesday, Vance will make a campaign stop in the South Philadelphia neighborhood.
Shapiro, who is 51 years old, is a rising star of the party and has good approval ratings in Pennsylvania. With 19 electoral votes, Pennsylvania is a state that both Harris and Trump absolutely need to win with great success.
Josh Shapiro-the 48th governor of Pennsylvania, who served as the state attorney general in the past, would add to the historical significance of the ticket. He would be the first Jewish vice president of the United States, and Harris would be the first Black and South Asian American woman to be elected to the presidency of the United States.
In recent weeks, Tim Walz, who is sixty years old and a former teacher, has been able to build his profile as a strong advocate for Harris. He was a member of the United States Army National Guard in the past. The Harris campaign has embraced the viral insult of calling Trump and Vance “weird,” which he has used to attack both of them.
Walz, a former member of Congress from a district that leans Republican, has demonstrated his ability to appeal to people who live in rural areas and are white. However, during his time as governor, he has also advocated for progressive initiatives, such as expanding paid worker leave and providing free meals to students in schools. Despite the fact that Minnesota is a state that is overwhelmingly Democratic, it is located in close proximity to Wisconsin and Michigan, two states that are considered to be critical battlegrounds.
The focus of speculation had been on six finalists: four governors, a senator, and a cabinet secretary in the office of Vice President Joe Biden. All of these candidates were white men who had a track record of winning over voters who identified as rural, white, or independent.
Shapiro and Walz were not the only candidates who were considered for the position; other candidates were Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, and United States Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona.
According to sources , the candidates will know whether or not they were selected either on Monday evening or Tuesday morning. Officials from the Harris campaign who are acquainted with the arrangements have stated that the campaign intends to make an announcement on social media showcasing the two individuals.
After President Joe Biden resigned from the race and backed Harris to replace him, Harris began her search for a running mate in earnest two weeks ago. This was immediately after Biden endorsed Harris to replace him.
In the immediate aftermath of the market selloff that occurred on Monday, there was no indication that Harris’ statement would be affected. According to a post that Trump made on his social media platform, Truth Social, he made reference to the “Kamala crash” in an effort to profit from the current economic slowdown.
Over the course of the weekend, Harris held a meeting with her screening team, which included former Attorney General Eric Holder, whose law firm, Covington & Burling LLP, conducted an investigation into the legal history and financial situation of potential running mates. According to a number of people who are acquainted with the process, Holder and his team gave comprehensive presentations on each of the contenders.
Based on the information provided by the sources, Harris is currently discussing the matter with her husband, Doug Emhoff, her brother-in-law, Tony West, and a select group of staffers and advisers.
It is possible that Shapiro’s strong support for Israel will turn off some progressive voters, but it also has the potential to appeal to moderate voters and defang Republican efforts to turn the Israel-Gaza war into a wedge issue for Democrats.
