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Kamala Harris to announce running mate in 6-7 days, 3 shortlisted candidates include...

VP Kamala Harris narrows down picks to three white men from key states for his running mate.

Published on: Jul 30, 2024, 06:53:36 IST
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VP Kamala Harris will announce her running mate for the US presidential election against former prez Donald Trump and JD Vance “in the next six, seven days,” said Democratic campaign co-chair Gretchen Whitmer.

Vice President Kamala Harris delivers remarks at a campaign event in Pittsfield, Mass., Saturday, July 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough, Pool) (AP)
Vice President Kamala Harris delivers remarks at a campaign event in Pittsfield, Mass., Saturday, July 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough, Pool) (AP)

“I would imagine we’ll know who her running mate is, and we’ll get ready for the convention,” Whitmer, the governor of Michigan, told CBS. He also said, “I have communicated with everyone, including the people of Michigan, that I’m going to stay as governor until the end of my term at the end of 2026.”

Who are Harris' three best running mates?

Harris is reported to have narrowed her field of possible picks to three white men from key states. According to a new poll, Arizona Senator Mark Kelly is seen most favourably by voters. In the ABC/Ipsos poll, Kelly had a net favorability of +10, compared to Minnesota governor Tim Walz’s -1 and Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro’s +4.

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Kelly’s favorability was notably higher than that of Vance, whose rating in the same poll was -15, worsened by controversies and past negative comments about Trump. Despite Kelly’s favourable rating, he and other potential picks remain largely unknown to the public. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and California Governor Gavin Newsom are the best-known, with favorability ratings of +4 and -12, respectively.

However, netizens are fuming and trolling the Indian-native for siding with white running mates. #WhiteDudesForKamala took X (formerly Twitter) by storm. Like one posting, “Hey #WhiteDudesForKamala, maybe you racist, sexist, d**cheb*gs should listen to this woman,” while another posted, “When you’re on the road and the #WomenForHarris call is at the same time as the #WhiteDudesForKamala call…”

Harris’s own favorability stands at 43%, with an emphasis on picking a running mate who can effectively challenge Vance. Kelly represents a border state central to immigration debates and is married to gun control advocate Gabby Giffords. Shapiro governs Pennsylvania, a pivotal state, while Walz’s Minnesota has consistently voted Democratic since 1976 but is targeted by Trump this year.

Harris is ‘a vice-president who is qualified’ to serve Americans

Whitmer expects a “convention of happy warriors” in Chicago. Harris’s advisers are focusing on candidates' ability to question Vance’s readiness for the vice presidency.

A campaign spokesperson, James Singer, said Harris would pick “a vice-president who is qualified and ready to serve the American people, protect their freedoms, and fight for their future.”

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Kelly, Walz, and Shapiro have all expressed their readiness to serve if chosen, with Kelly stating, “This is not about me,” and Walz and Shapiro trusting Harris’s judgment to act in the country's best interests. They “have all the confidence in the world that she will make that decision, along with many others, in the best interests of the American people.”

  • Tuhin Das Mahapatra
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Tuhin Das Mahapatra

    Tuhin Das Mahapatra is a key member of the US Team at Hindustan Times, crafting compelling narratives on politics, US visa, Hollywood, esports, anime, and beyond. This erudite literature student, if not penning down a narrative with his modest yet trusty pen, is deeply contemplating 'what the purpose of journalism is?Read More

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