Harris Close to Picking Her VP; Here Are the Favorites, by Christal Hayes

 

Kamala Harris will begin a U.S. tour with her new running mate next week, indicating that she is likely just days away from announcing her pick.

According to CBS, the BBC’s US partner, the group of Democratic candidates for vice president has been narrowed down to five.

A decision is needed before the Democratic National Convention, which begins Aug. 19 in Chicago and precedes the presidential election in November.

Once Harris’s vice presidential nominee is announced, the two are expected to tour the United States, stopping in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Detroit, Michigan; Las Vegas, Nevada; Raleigh, North Carolina; Phoenix, Arizona; Savannah, Georgia; and western Wisconsin.

Here’s a look at the five contenders in the final round, according to CBS.

●Josh Shapiro, Governor of Pennsylvania

This charismatic and popular governor could help Ms. Harris win Pennsylvania, a swing state that Democrats absolutely must win.

Mr. Shapiro, 51, has enjoyed high approval ratings since being elected in 2022 and has made inroads among Democrats in a state that went to Mr. Trump in the 2016 election.

He made national headlines after working quickly to rebuild a collapsed bridge over a key Philadelphia highway last year. The quick repair was hailed by many as the perfect infrastructure talking point for a potential 2028 presidential candidate.
If elected by Ms. Harris and American voters in November, he would be the first Jewish vice president.

Mr. Shapiro has expressed strong support for Israel in its war in Gaza, and his criticism of student protests on school campuses in his state could create divisions within the Democratic Party and in the race for office.

● Mark Kelly, Senator from Arizona

The swing state senator has an impressive resume that could appeal to voters on both sides of the aisle.

The former Navy fighter pilot and NASA astronaut has spent more than 50 days in space on multiple missions.

But Mr. Kelly, 60, is newer to the service in Washington. He was sworn in in December 2020.

His wife is Gabby Giffords, who was shot in the head in 2011 in Arizona while serving in the House of Representatives.

Since then, Ms. Giffords has become one of the most vocal voices on gun safety laws, and the couple’s personal history may resonate with voters.

Kelly’s staunch pro-border stance and occasional criticism of the Biden administration could help attract independent and conservative voters.

If elected, the party would fill a Senate vacancy in a key state.

● Andy Beshear, governor of Kentucky

The Democratic governor has long been close to Ms. Harris.

Mr. Beshear, 46, has carved out a successful career as a Democrat in a state that Donald Trump won by 20 points in the last election. That’s an attractive trait that could sweeten the Democratic ticket.

He has given numerous viral interviews criticizing Donald Trump’s choice of vice president, J.D. Vance, and his views on the Appalachian region.

“He’s not from here,” Mr. Beshear said of the rookie senator from Ohio in interviews on CNN and MSNBC. He called Mr. Vance a “phony” and a “fake” for his descriptions of the region and its residents in his book, Hillbilly Elegy.

“This is a guy who came a couple of weeks every summer, tops, to Kentucky and then wrote a book claiming to know us, claiming to understand our culture,” Mr. Beshear told the Des Moines Register.

“He called my people lazy, and these are the coal miners who built this country.”

Mr. Beshear is open about his Christian faith and its impact on his personality and work. Support for public education and protection of reproductive rights are also key issues for him.

●Tim Walz, Governor of Minnesota

Mr. Walz is a seasoned battlefield leader who served 12 years in Congress before becoming governor in 2018.

He attracted national attention for his strategy of simply casting Donald Trump and J.D. Vance as “weird.”

The phrase has caught on among a number of Democrats, including Ms. Harris. “He’s just a weird, bizarre guy,” Mr. Walz said of Mr. Trump at a fundraising event on Monday.

His straightforward, small-town Midwestern sensibility could appeal to both independent and conservative voters.

The 60-year-old led Minnesota during the 2020 protests over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

He used the National Guard to help quell the demonstrations, which, while mostly peaceful and lasting several days, led to the damage of buildings and the burning of a police station.

Mr. Walz served 20 years in the National Guard, taught high school, and also worked as an assistant football coach.

Minnesota is probably less undecided, but would be a valuable asset for Ms. Harris.

● Pete Buttigieg, Secretary of Transportation

Campaigning for the White House would be nothing new for Buttigieg.

As mayor of South Bend, Indiana, he was a surprise favorite among liberal voters in his failed 2020 Democratic primary campaign.

He has since served as Secretary of Transportation and has undoubtedly become one of the White House’s best communicators.

His skill in interviews and in front of audiences has been on full display in recent weeks as Ms. Harris inches closer to her candidacy for vice president.

On the television show Real Time with Bill Maher, he took multiple shots at Mr. Vance. Mr. Buttigieg said he “knows” a lot of people like Mr. Vance, who “will say whatever they need to” to get ahead.

Mr Buttigieg, 42, stressed that Mr Vance had always been a harsh critic of Mr Trump and had now changed his mind to “gain power”.

In her role as secretary, she also managed a series of public crises, helping oversee the response to the East Palestine train derailment in Ohio, the Baltimore bridge collapse, and the 2022 Southwest Airlines scheduling crisis. [CNN]

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