US election: Harris meets with possible running mates as her decision nears

By Josh Wingrove and Alicia Diaz
 

Vice President Kamala Harris met Sunday with at least three possible running mates: Arizona Senator Mark Kelly, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, according to people familiar with her plans. 
 

The meetings were part of Harris’ final stretch before selecting who will join her on the 2024 presidential ticket, which she is expected to announce in coming days. The meetings were complete by Sunday evening, an official familiar with the process said.

The three people are on a so-called short list of possible vice presidential candidates, people familiar with the process said. To be sure, Harris also spoke with other contenders, just not in person, the people said.

Harris’ entrance has overhauled the dynamics of the presidential campaign. She has quickly raised more than $300 million and has erased some of the lead that former President Donald Trump held in national polls. Her vice presidential pick could determine whether that momentum continues to propel her or simmers down as Election Day approaches. 

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker are among the other names floated to join Harris on the ticket.

The Democratic National Committee plans to virtually nominate a ticket by Aug. 7, indicating that Harris’ vice presidential selection is expected to come by then as well. The party said Aug. 2 that she had secured enough delegate votes to win the nomination, while the balloting is open until Monday.

Harris plans to kick off a tour of seven battleground states next week, with her running mate slated to join her Aug. 6 in Philadelphia.

Most of Harris’ vice presidential contenders fit a certain profile: White, male and centrist. Her pick could boost appeal to swing-state voters, while simultaneously detracting from Republican attacks calling her a “California liberal.” 

United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain made a pitch for his favored choice, Beshear, who joined striking UAW workers outside a Ford Motor Co. plant in Louisville, Kentucky, last year. “I believe the Harris and Beshear ticket would be unbeatable,” Fain said Sunday on CBS’s Face the Nation. He also spoke highly of Walz.

Shapiro met with Harris’ representatives on July 31, though it was unclear whether the interaction was virtual or in person.