Vice President Kamala Harris, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, and her running mate will campaign together in battleground states next week, sources familiar with the plans told CBS News.
She is expected to make a selection by August 7th.
Anyone have some takes as to who it will be?
The names I’ve seen thrown around are:
Andrew Beshear, the Democratic Governor of Kentucky (of all places)
Mark Kelly, a Senator from Arizona and a NASA Astronaut.
Josh Shapiro, the Governor of Pennsylvania
Tim Walz, the Governor of Minnesota
As an Arizonan, if Mark Kelley goes, I’ll be sad to see him go, but I think he’s a great guy and would do amazing in the position. So we’d either gain a great VP, or I’ll keep a great Senator, so I’m OK either way. But from a political standpoint, Mark Kelly, being a white male, an astronaut, etc brings a bit of the familiar to the ticket for people who may be undecided but lean right. And coming from a swing state, it could cement the undecided votes to swing in her favor and could influence other swing states as well. And the same might be said about any of the picks, but the one I’m most familiar with is the one from my own state, and I think he’d do a pretty damn good job and he’d do that job with integrity.
I don’t know if it’s just because I’m in a liberal bubble, but just the fact that Mark Kelly is an astronaut is a huge plus for me. I mean, even conservatives must think that that’s cool as shit, right?
I admittedly don’t know much about Tim Walz, although I know he is supposed to be very charismatic and knows how to make people feel good about America.
I also know that Andrew Beshear somehow won in Kentucky of all places. Any Democrat that wins, there must have some sort of appeal, right?
There’s also Josh Shapiro. While it seems like he could have broad appeal and is very capable, I think his main weakness is that he’s only been governor for one year and his office just had to settle a sexual harassment claim against former top aide. While Shapiro himself was not the perpetrator (someone else on his staff was) I worry that the Republicans will be able to use that to successfully “muddy the waters.”
I’m a Minnesotan who would absolutely love to see Walz get the pick.
Kelly is too centrist for me personally but the cool factor of an astronaut is a good asset.
I doubt he’s even in contention but I’d really love the surprise pick of Al Franken.
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