Vice President Kamala Harris met Sunday with at least three possible running mates: Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Minnesota Gov. 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 the 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 Gov. Andy Beshear, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Illinois Gov. 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 Wednesday, indicating that Harris¡¯ vice presidential selection is expected to come by then as well. The party said Friday 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 this week, with her running mate slated to join her Tuesday 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 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.
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