- Who's going to be Harris's deputy?
Democratic U.S. presidential nominee Kamala Harris is on the cusp of announcing her running mate for the November election. The 59-year-old plans to make her decision at the start of the week and kick off a whirlwind campaign tour through the seven most contested states with her new vice on Tuesday.
With fresh momentum in the Democratic campaign, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is intensifying his verbal assaults on his rival. It's unclear whether and when the two will face off in a TV debate, as they publicly spar over a date for such a showdown.
Harris secured her party's presidential nomination on Friday. She received the necessary majority of delegate votes in an online Democratic convention vote well before its end. Harris will thus face Trump in the November 5 election. The Democrats had moved up their candidate selection due to bureaucratic reasons, holding it digitally before the start of a major party convention in Chicago in mid-August.
The choice of the right partner
Now, all eyes are on who she will choose as her running mate. Harris held talks with potential partners over the weekend. Selecting a "running mate" in the U.S. election is typically a complex and time-consuming process, but Harris must now do so at a rapid pace, as she stepped in as a candidate at the last minute following the withdrawal of U.S. President Joe Biden from the presidential race.
Harris' team has announced a campaign tour with her new running mate through the seven most contested states: Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan, North Carolina, Georgia, Arizona, and Nevada. These "swing states" are crucial as their outcomes are not predetermined by tradition. Harris plans to visit these states with her running mate before the Democratic convention begins on August 19. Their first joint rally is scheduled for Tuesday evening (local time) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Harris is expected to announce her running mate by Tuesday at the latest.
These six Democrats are considered the most likely candidates:
Josh Shapiro
The 51-year-old has been governor of the swing state of Pennsylvania since 2023, previously serving as the state's attorney general. Shapiro is relatively new to the national political stage. He is considered moderate and is quite popular, having been mentioned as a potential candidate for higher office for some time.
Mark Kelly
The 60-year-old is a former astronaut who has won the Senate seat in the swing state of Arizona twice, a significant achievement for the Democrats. Kelly is also known for being the husband of former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, who fought her way back to life after being shot in 2011 and is a prominent advocate for stricter gun laws.
Tim Walz
The 60-year-old has been governor of the state of Minnesota since 2019 and previously served as a representative in the House for many years. Before entering politics, Walz was a teacher. The father of two is known for his down-to-earth manner and direct way of communicating political messages, although he does not have a strong national profile.
Pete Buttigieg
The 42-year-old made waves in 2020 as a Democratic presidential candidate, and is now Biden's Secretary of Transportation, making him the first openly gay cabinet member in U.S. history. He's distributed significant infrastructure investments across the country in recent years. Fluent in multiple languages and known for his wit, he's long been seen as a rising star in the party.
Andy Beshear, 46, is the Governor of Kentucky, a state that typically votes Republican in presidential elections. He's known for his bipartisan appeal, having previously served as the state's Attorney General. His father also held the governorship.
J.B. Pritzker, 59, is the Governor of Illinois, a solidly Democratic state. A billionaire from a wealthy business family, he's invested in tech startups and is well-connected within the party, though he's not widely known nationally.
Attention is currently focused on Harris due to the Democrats' recent leadership change, much to Trump's displeasure. He's escalated his rhetoric against her, calling her "stupid," "crazy," and a "radical left freak" during a campaign event in Atlanta, Georgia.
Trump and Harris are also engaged in a public spat over a debate date. Trump announced on his Truth Social platform that he'd agreed to a September 4 debate on Fox News, while Harris insists on a previously agreed September 10 date on ABC. Both accused the other of dodging the debate out of fear.
In light of the US election campaign heat, Harris and Trump are engaging in verbal sparring over a debate date. Given the imminent announcement, Harris is expected to reveal her running mate by Tuesday, embarking on a campaign tour through contested states with her new vice.
