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Jimmy Williams
In an exclusive interview with CBS News on Friday, Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign manager, Julie Chávez Rodríguez, confirmed that Harris has initiated a “thorough” process to select her running mate for her 2024 presidential bid. This decision, according to Chávez Rodríguez, is one of the most significant Harris will make during her campaign.
“The vice president has begun a process that is probably one of the most important processes and decisions that she will make during her time as a candidate for president,” said Chávez Rodríguez. The campaign is “excited to see” Harris undertake this important task, emphasizing that it will be “thorough and important.”
The Harris campaign is vetting approximately a dozen potential vice-presidential candidates. Some of the notable Democrats under consideration include Governors Andy Beshear of Kentucky, Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, Roy Cooper of North Carolina, J.B. Pritzker of Illinois, Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, Tim Walz of Minnesota, and Arizona Senator Mark Kelly. When asked specifically about Kelly, Chávez Rodríguez refrained from confirming any names, saying, “I’m not going to get ahead of the vice president.”
Senator Mark Kelly, a former NASA astronaut and U.S. Navy pilot, is viewed as a moderate Democrat. His selection as VP would be significant, given that he represents Arizona, a politically competitive border state. Although President Joe Biden won Arizona in 2020, recent polls before his exit from the race showed him trailing former President Donald Trump there this year.
Sources close to the Harris campaign revealed that the search for a running mate is expected to conclude by August 7. Arizona is among the critical states in the upcoming presidential election. In 2020, President Biden’s narrow victory in Arizona marked the first time a Democrat won the state since 1996.
Chávez Rodríguez expressed confidence in Harris’ ability to win Arizona, citing her appeal to key voter groups, including young people, Latinos, women, and Native Americans. She highlighted that “reproductive rights is on the ballot here in Arizona,” referencing a proposed amendment to enshrine access to abortion in the state. “That’s an issue that [Harris] has been front and center on,” Chávez Rodríguez added, noting its political potency.
As Harris’ campaign gears up for the upcoming election, the selection of a running mate will be crucial in building a strong ticket and appealing to a broad coalition of voters.
