Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris has narrowed her search for a vice presidential running mate to two finalists, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, three sources with knowledge of the matter said Monday.
US Vice President Kamala Harris is expected to announce her choice on Tuesday, before making her first public appearance with her running mate at Temple University in Philadelphia that evening.
It is not clear if a final decision has been taken, sources said. The rally will kick off a five-day, seven-city tour that will likely decide the November 5 election.
The vice presidential pick is one of the most important decisions of Kamala Harris’ political career, as she hastily assembles a campaign to challenge Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and his vice presidential pick, U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance, in the Nov. 5 election. Vance will also make a campaign stop in South Philadelphia on Tuesday.
Josh Shapiro, 51, is the party’s rising star with strong approval ratings in Pennsylvania, whose 19 electoral votes make it a must-win state for both Kamala Harris and Trump.
Former state Attorney General Josh Shapiro will add historic significance to this ticket; he will be the nation’s first Jewish vice president, while Kamala Harris is seeking to become America’s first Black and South Asian American female president.
Josh Shapiro’s strong support for Israel could alienate some progressive voters, though it could also attract moderate voters and undermine Republican efforts to turn the Israel-Gaza war into a contentious issue for Democrats.
Tim Walz, 60, is a former member of the U.S. Army National Guard and former teacher who has made his mark in recent weeks as an effective advocate for Kamala Harris. He has attacked Trump and Vance as “weirdos,” a viral insult adopted by the Kamala Harris campaign.
Tim Walz, a former congressman from a Republican-leaning district, has had success attracting rural, white voters, though he also supported progressive policies as governor, such as free school meals and expanded paid worker leave. While Minnesota is a solidly Democratic state, it is close to Wisconsin and Michigan, two key battleground states.
Speculation had centered on six finalists — four governors, a senator and a Cabinet secretary in the Biden administration, all white men with a record of winning over rural, white or independent voters.
In addition to Josh Shapiro and Tim Walz, contenders included U.S. Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker.
Candidates will be notified on Monday night or Tuesday morning whether they have been selected, sources told Reuters. The Kamala Harris campaign has planned a social media announcement involving both, said campaign officials familiar with the arrangements.
The search for Kamala Harris as his vice presidential running mate began two weeks ago after President Joe Biden withdrew his name from the race and endorsed her as his replacement.
There was no immediate indication that Monday’s market drop would have any impact on the timing of Kamala Harris’ announcement. Trump, who is trying to take advantage of the downturn, referred to the “Kamala Crash” in a post on his social media site Truth Social.
Over the weekend, Kamala Harris met with her vetting team, including former Attorney General Eric Holder, whose law firm Covington & Burling LLP investigated the finances and backgrounds of potential running mate candidates. Holder and his office gave in-depth presentations on each finalist, according to multiple sources familiar with the process.
Sources said Kamala Harris is considering this decision with her husband Doug Emhoff, brother-in-law Tony West and a small group of aides and advisers.
Seven cities, five days
On their tour of the battleground states, Kamala Harris and her running mates will visit seven cities over five days: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Eau Claire, Wisconsin; Detroit, Michigan; Durham, North Carolina; Savannah, Georgia; Phoenix, Arizona; and Las Vegas, Nevada, a campaign official said on condition of anonymity.
The official said they will hold rallies at each location during the tour, which will include college campuses, historically black universities, union halls and restaurants.
Over the weekend, the Kamala Harris campaign launched an event to persuade Republican voters to support the Democrat and featured support from Republicans including former Trump White House officials Stephanie Grisham and Olivia Troye.
The program — called Republicans for Kamala Harris — will hold kickoff events on Monday in the battleground states of Arizona, North Carolina and Pennsylvania.
On Monday, Kamala Harris received another union endorsement, with the Hospitality Workers Union praising her, saying she has a long record of working for union workers.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
