[ad_1]
This is an AI-generated summary and may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.
US Vice President Kamala Harris is expected to announce her decision on her running mate on August 5 ahead of the August 6 rally, according to sources
Vice President Kamala Harris will hold her first rally with her new vice presidential candidate on Tuesday, August 6 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, kicking off a four-day battleground tour that includes Michigan and Arizona, the campaign said.
The location of the first stop suggests Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro has vaulted to the top of the list of running mates, and Harris’ campaign has decided that the state Democrats won back from Republicans in 2020 is a must-win again.
After leaving Philadelphia, Harris and her pick for vice presidential candidate will travel to six other locations, including western Wisconsin, Detroit and Las Vegas, the Harris campaign said in a statement released late Tuesday night, July 30, and “strongly reminded” that Harris “has not yet decided on a running mate.”
The high-stakes decision of who will run with Harris has been in the spotlight since she emerged as the Democratic front-runner for the Nov. 5 election after President Joe Biden ended his presidential campaign more than a week ago.
Harris is expected to announce the decision before events on Monday or Tuesday, the sources said.
The list of candidates under consideration includes Shapiro, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona, Minnesota Gov. Tim Waltz and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.
If she chooses Shapiro, the Harris campaign will likely count on the popular 51-year-old governor to help her win the state in November.
Shapiro defeated Republican gubernatorial rival Doug Mastriano in a notoriously competitive election in the state, winning more than 56% of the vote and increasing his support among Democrats.
Shapiro would also become only the second Jewish candidate in U.S. history to be nominated for vice president in a major election, following Joe Lieberman’s unsuccessful run for vice president against Al Gore in 2000.
Some U.S. states, often referred to as battleground states, have determined the outcome of presidential elections in recent years, including Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
Typically, campaigns begin considering vice presidential candidates after the spring primaries, which gives them a few months to vet the candidates and decide who is the best fit personally and politically.
Harris is being forced to choose her running mate under very tight timelines. She must make a decision by an Aug. 7 deadline set by the Democratic National Committee, but the decision could come earlier, sources said.
Eric Holder Jr., who served as attorney general and led Barack Obama’s vice presidential vetting process in 2008, is vetting Harris’ picks through his law firm, Covington & Burling.
Candidates are informally auditioning, showing on the air and at campaign events what they can bring to Harris’ campaign.
Shapiro, for example, gave an emotional testimony against Harris on Monday in suburban Philadelphia.
“Not only is she ready, she’s very ready,” he told the cheering crowd. “You know who else knows she’s ready? Donald Trump knows she’s ready.”
Minnesota Governor Waltz was credited with pushing Democrats to raise new criticisms of Trump and his running mate, J.D. Vance — calling them “weird.”
“The fascists are counting on us to go back, but we’re not afraid of the weirdos,” Waltz said of the Republican candidates on Saturday. “We’re a little bit afraid, but we’re not scared.” – Rappler.com
[ad_2]
Source link
