2024-08-05 02:06:44
US Vice President Kamala Harris will on Sunday (US local time) interview three top candidates, ahead of a final decision on her running mate.
Those who Harris will interview include Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, US Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona, and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro.
The interview will take place at the Vice President’s Washington DC residence.
According to news agency Reuters, Harris is expected to announce her choice as early as Monday, ahead of her first public appearance with the vice presidential nominee on Tuesday in Philadelphia.
The Harris campaign is also planning a social media announcement featuring the duo, officials familiar with the arrangements told Reuters.
The choice of a running mate is one of the most consequential decisions of Harris’ political career, as she hastily pulls together a campaign to challenge Donald Trump in the November 5 election after President Joe Biden dropped out of the race last month.
Her shortlist includes all white men with a record of winning over rural, white or independent voters.
Harris’ decision also influences the future direction of the Democratic Party, elevating the chosen candidate to the front of the line for future presidential contests.
Shapiro, one of the top contenders, has faced sharp criticism from the left, especially progressive groups and pro-Palestinian activists, over his support for Israel and his handling of college protests sparked by the war in Gaza.
His handling of a sexual harassment complaint against a longtime top aide has also been questioned, and labor groups including the United Auto Workers (UAW) union, that recently endorsed Harris for president, have criticised him for calls to expand voucher programs that allow public tax dollars to flow to private schools.
Some labor groups have also criticised Kelly for not supporting proposed legislation they argue would boost union organizing.
Shawn Fain, president of the UAW, said that despite backing Harris for president, his 370,000-member union is not supporting Kelly or Shapiro as a potential running mate.
Walz has become a favorite of progressives and youth groups who enjoy his attacks on Trump.
At 60, Walz is just a year older than Harris, but critics say he looks much older, which could be a liability to a campaign that is rebounding from Biden’s departure over concerns about his age.
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