US Vice-President Kamala Harris is poised to announce her running mate by Tuesday morning, concluding two weeks of intense speculation as the US races towards November’s presidential election. Over the weekend, Ms. Harris conducted interviews in Washington DC with several top contenders, including Josh Shapiro, Tim Walz, and Mark Kelly.
Her chosen running mate will join her on a whirlwind five-day tour across seven cities this week as Ms. Harris intensifies her campaign efforts in key battleground states. The latest CBS poll, in partnership with the BBC, indicates a tight national race between Ms. Harris and Donald Trump, with the Democrat holding a one-point lead over her Republican opponent.
Released on Sunday, the poll shows Trump and Ms. Harris tied in battleground states, where the former president had a five-point lead while Joe Biden was still in the race. Following Tuesday morning’s announcement, a campaign video will be released, and Ms. Harris and her new running mate will hold a rally in Philadelphia that evening.
Ms. Harris reportedly met her vetting team, led by former US Attorney General Eric Holder, over the weekend, receiving detailed presentations on the candidates’ potential political vulnerabilities. On Sunday, she met with three of the contenders: Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, Arizona Senator Mark Kelly, and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro. She also met with Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg on Friday and has spoken with other candidates virtually, according to US media reports.
On Monday afternoon, in response to a report suggesting that Ms. Harris had made her pick, campaign spokesperson Kevin Munoz stated on social media that no decision had been made yet. “We understand the excitement and interest here, but VP Harris has made no decision on a running mate yet!” he said.
This announcement comes as the Democratic National Committee (DNC) concluded a virtual roll call vote, officially making Ms. Harris the first Black and South Asian American nominee for a major US party’s White House campaign. The Harris campaign has faced a flurry of lobbying efforts both supporting and criticizing the candidates. For instance, Shapiro has faced opposition from some left-wing groups for his support of private school vouchers in Pennsylvania and his pro-Israel views.
