KAMALA to choose RUNNING MATE
As November approaches, Vice President Kamala Harris is under pressure to choose a running mate.
A recent NOTUS report says she wants “the highest level” executive to balance the ticket. There are speculations that Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ), governors Josh Shapiro (D-PA), Roy Cooper (D-NC), Gretchen Whitmer (D-MI), Tim Walz (D-MN), and Andy Beshear (D-KY) are running for vice president.
This criteria could help Harris win voters.
Executive Background: Few candidates met standards. North Carolina’s two-time elected CEO is Cooper. Harris may find the swing state governor’s almost 40-year political experience appealing. The topic includes executive experience from Shapiro, Walz, and Beshear. Swing state Democrat Shapiro was Pennsylvania’s attorney general from 2017 to 2023, adding to his resume despite only two years as governor. A running partner has been suggested for Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D-IL).
Michigan governor Whitmer is also a popular vice presidential candidate, but she wants to finish her term.
Harmony: Harris, who GovTrack ranked the most liberal senator, is extreme on abortion, climate change, and student debt. Harris may need a centrist running partner to attract independent and swing votes in November.
The position suits Beshear. The two-term moderate governor upset a Republican who had Trump’s support last year in a red state. He has expressed interest in running for vice president.
“On MSNBC’s Morning Joe, Monday, I believe that if someone calls you on that, you at least listen,” he said.
Harris might also consider Shapiro. Shapiro handily defeated Trump-backed Doug Mastriano 56.5 percent to 41.7 percent in 2022. Shapiro, a Jew, might draw votes away from progressives’ war views and narrow Harris’s party’s Israel-Hamas divide.
Harris may exclude Walz as a running mate to focus on moderating the ticket. Progressives like “Squad” Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) endorse the Minnesota Democrat’s far-left transgender and abortion views.
Cash: Successful campaigns require funds. Harris had 101 days to campaign before the election, so she maximized every dollar. Notoriety says Kelly is the donor class’s preference, but multibillionaire Pritzker may be a financial asset. Pritzker, a Biden supporter when he led the Democratic ticket, is worth $3.5 billion.
Electoral College: The White House is won by winning the Electoral College. Shapiro and Kelly, from swing states Arizona and Pennsylvania, may give Harris that. Cooper might become the only Democratic governor in a 2020 Trump state in North Carolina.
Partnership: Cooper brings executive, electoral, and relationship cards. Multiple sources told NOTUS that Harris and Cooper have a “real” relationship and have supported her at campaign appearances in his state.
Kelly is drawn to Harris because of her connection. The Arizona senator and his wife, former Representative Gabby Giffords, are close to the vice president.
