Vice President Kamala Harris will tour swing states next week with her running mate, two sources familiar with the planning said on July 30, a sign that her running mate process is nearing completion.
The high-stakes decision on who will run alongside Harris has taken center stage since she became the Democratic leader for the Nov. 5 election after U.S. President Joe Biden withdrew his bid for the White House just over a week ago.
Harris will announce his vice presidential pick before touring next week in states that could go Republican or Democratic in November, one of the sources said.
Harris' campaign did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Asked on July 30 if she had decided on her vice presidential running mate, Harris said, "Not yet."
The short list of candidates under consideration includes Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona, Minnesota Gov. Tim Waltz and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.
On Monday, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said they were not running for vice president.
Several US states, often referred to as battleground states, have decided presidential elections in recent years, including Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
Campaigns typically begin considering their VP picks after the primary race ends in the spring, giving them months to vet candidates and decide who the candidate is the best fit for personally and politically.
Harris is forced to choose her presidential candidate on extremely short notice. She faces an Aug. 7 deadline set by the Democratic National Committee, but sources say a decision is likely to be made sooner.
Eric Holder Jr., the former attorney general who led the vetting process for Barack Obama's 2008 vice presidential nominees, is vetting Harris' candidates through his law firm Covington & Burling. | BGNES
