Harris’ Whirlwind Search for Running Mate Enters Final Hours as She Prepares to Take New Democratic Ticket on the Road
Final Interviewees and the Upcoming Announcement
Final moments are ticking away in Vice President Kamala Harris’ search for the ideal running mate in her historic Presidential campaign. Despite Sunday being a day filled with interviews with the finalists, the Vice President had not settled on a decision as of Monday morning. The campaign plans to officially announce the selected running mate through an online message to supporters, followed by a rally in Philadelphia on Tuesday.
The Vice President is playing her cards close to her chest, aiming to keep the identity of her pick undisclosed until the formal announcement. A source privy to the process reveals that Harris is intending to inform a select group of key advisers, as well as the chosen running mate, once the decision is made. This phase will be a pivotal one for the campaign as the Vice President seeks to maintain the momentum that has been driving her bid while former President Donald Trump grapples with running against an entirely new opponent.
Final Contenders for the Coveted VP Spot
After interviewing three final contenders — Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota, Gov. Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, and Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona — over three days, Harris gave herself Sunday to weigh her options alongside her advisers. A swathe of arguments both for and against the candidates from different Democratic Party stakeholders filled the air over the last week. The main points of contention were electability against Trump and the capacity to help sustain the wave of positive news that Harris’ campaign has been riding for the past two weeks.
Boosting Momentum and Building Support
Following President Joe Biden’s decision to discontinue his reelection bid and offer his endorsement to Harris, she consolidated her hold on the Democratic Party. This support has resonated in the polls, with a CBS News/YouGov statistical tie of likely voters nationally, a significant improvement from Biden’s 5-point trail in previous polls.
Since her campaign launched, Harris has seen a surge of energy from Democrats and stirred up donors. Her campaign announced a fundraising haul of $310 million in July, more than doubling Trump’s tally of $138.7 million. On Friday, Harris won enough delegate support ahead of Monday’s end of voting period to secure the party’s nomination, according to the Democratic National Committee.
Image Moderation and Choice Anticipation
As she moderates her image with voters from her short-lived presidential campaign in 2019, Harris’ choice of leading mate will significantly influence the character of the ticket. Last week, her campaign clarified her position on several issues, notably her withdrawal of support for “Medicare for All” and a ban on fracking.
Borrowing pages from Biden’s playbook, Harris also aims to reveal her running mate in a manner that builds anticipation and a massive campaign list. She intends to first inform a small group of key supporters about the VP pick before the official announcement. Harris assured her supporters that they will be the first to hear the news in a campaign email last week.
Trump’s Racial Attacks and Campaigning Challenges
Even as Harris prepares her VP unveiling, the Trump campaign has been grappling with how to reframe the narrative around her. Regardless of efforts labeling Harris as “dangerously liberal,” Trump has chosen to focus on her racial identity instead. Trump made headlines last week when he said that Harris “happened to turn Black” during a National Association of Black Journalists convention. The racially targeted comments have led Republican leaders to urge Trump to focus his critique on policy issues rather than racial or identity aspects.
Mounting Debate Tensions
As part of the ongoing campaign tensions between the ex-POTUS and the current VP, a publicly broadcasted dispute about a future debate has caused a stir. After a fortnight of uncertainty about his participation, Trump announced on Saturday that he would attend a Fox News debate with a live audience on September 4th – or not debate at all. His announcement comes following his decision to withdraw from a previously agreed upon ABC News event on September 10.
In response, Harris stated her intention to attend the ABC News event and ridiculed the ex-president for backing out of that opportunity. She has called on Trump to honour the initial agreement, and it would seem the world will have to tune in to see what the final decision will be.
