Set to be unveiled on Tuesday, Kamala Harris, the US Vice President, will announce her running mate before embarking on a five-day tour across pivotal battleground states, just three months prior to the presidential election.
Harris’s campaign has been actively gaining momentum ever since she assumed Joe Biden’s position at the helm of the Democratic ticket, breaking fundraising records and eroding the lead previously held by Republican contender Donald Trump.
A US senator and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg hinted that Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, a rising star within the Democratic Party, is likely the frontrunner to be selected as Harris’s vice-presidential running mate, surpassing other state governors in consideration.
Reports surfaced on Monday indicating that Harris had narrowed down her choice for this crucial decision to Shapiro and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, with a high probability of making her selection public through a video announcement.
Maintaining an air of mystery, Harris refrained from disclosing her running mate in a text message to supporters on Monday evening, stating, “I have not made my decision yet,” just a day before their planned journey through crucial swing states.
Together with her newly appointed deputy, the 59-year-old will kick off their tour with a rally at Temple University in Philadelphia, followed by visits to Wisconsin and Michigan on Wednesday, Arizona on Friday, and Nevada on Saturday.
Originally scheduled to also visit battlegrounds North Carolina on Thursday and Georgia on Friday, these events were reportedly postponed due to the impact of a tropical storm in southeastern states. Despite requests for additional information, no response has been received from the Harris campaign.