Kamala Harris will unveil her vice presidential running mate on Tuesday in her first major decision as the Democratic Party’s presidential candidate and another step in her quest to win the White House in November.
Ms Harris, the first woman and first black person to serve as vice-president, has narrowed her list of candidates to Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro and Minnesota governor Tim Walz, sources told Reuters on Monday, after considering a field of finalists made up of white men with a record of winning over rural, white or independent voters.
A campaign official said no calls were being made about a choice on Monday night, suggesting Ms Harris had not told her potential running mates who would get the job.
Ms Harris became the Democratic Party’s standard bearer after President Joe Biden ended his re-election campaign last month. Since then, she has raised hundreds of millions of dollars and recast the race against Republican Donald Trump with a boost of energy from her party’s base.
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Although she had gathered enough delegates to be her party's nominee, the Democratic National Committee said late on Monday that she had officially secured the nomination.
Ms Harris (59) earned the support of 99 per cent of the 4,567 delegates who cast ballots, the committee said in a statement. In an unusual move meant to avoid potential legal headaches, the roll call was held virtually over five days, instead of in-person at the Democratic National Convention, which begins on August 19th in Chicago.
Ms Harris is expected to appear with her running mate at an event in Philadelphia on Tuesday evening. Her selection will demonstrate her thinking about her best pathway to winning the presidency and show who she believes would serve as an effective governing partner should she prevail against Mr Trump.
Mr Shapiro (51) is a rising star in the party with strong approval ratings in Pennsylvania, whose 19 electoral votes make it a must-win state for both Ms Harris and Mr Trump.
Mr Walz (60) serves as governor in a solidly Democratic state but has proven appeal to rural, white voters, who in recent years have voted broadly for Mr Trump.
Americans typically focus on the person at the top of the ticket when choosing whom to vote for, but vice-presidential candidates can help or hurt their running mates based on their backgrounds, home state popularity and ability to sway important constituencies or independent voters.
Mr Trump’s vice presidential pick, US senator JD Vance of Ohio, has had a rocky start since joining the Republican ticket, with old comments criticising “childless cat ladies” drawing unwelcome attention and potentially alienating women voters.
Mr Vance will follow Ms Harris and her new running mate to several swing states this week, the Trump campaign said, including stops in South Philadelphia on Tuesday and Michigan and Wisconsin on Wednesday. He plans to criticise Harris on economic issues and immigration. – Reuters