Kamala Harris' Running Mate Selection Narrows To Top Two Candidates

Vice President Kamala Harris' running mate selection has reportedly narrowed to the top two candidates as she prepares to announce her choice on Tuesday. Harris, who only entered the presidential campaign a little over two weeks ago, has ramped up her vetting of a half dozen vice presidential candidates across the week to decide on and begin a swing state tour this week.

According to sources familiar with the vetting process, Harris and her vetting team, led by former Obama Attorney General Eric Holder with the help of his law firm Covington & Burling LLP, has narrowed her selections to Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN) and Gov. Josh Shapiro (D-PA). The vice president is expected to make her decision on Tuesday ahead of a joint event with her running mate at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, a critical state for a 2024 Democrat victory.

Given Pennsylvania's importance, Gov. Shapiro, who has a 64 percent approval rating in the Keystone State, is seen as a tempting pick to try to win over some more moderate voters in a state that is critical for Harris. Shapiro, however, has faced a number of attacks from the left-wing of the Democratic Party, taking particular aim at Shapiro's stance on the war in Gaza, his past writings about a two-state solution, and his volunteerism for the Israeli military when he was in high school.

On the other hand,, Walz, a former school teacher and former National Guardsman, has gained the support of a number of key players in the Democrat Party including former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT). The Minnesota governor has also gained the support of organized labor.

Both Shapiro and Walz have seemingly beaten out several other contenders who have fallen in prominence amongst the vetting team after initially making the cut to be on the short list. Those that have reportedly been eliminated from contention, according to Reuters, include Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Governor Andy Beshear (D-KY), and Governor J.B. Pritzker (D-IL).

After being told whether they are chosen either on Monday night or Tuesday morning, Harris and her running mate will be going on a battleground state tour to seven cities nationwide in five days. The locations include Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Eau Claire, Wisconsin; Detroit, Michigan; Durham, North Carolina; Savannah, Georgia; Phoenix, Arizona; and Las Vegas, Nevada.

Vice President Harris's choice for vice president will be one of the most important decisions of her political career and her decision could decide who occupied the White House on January 20, 2025.

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