As Vice President Kamala Harris gets closer to selecting her running mate for November’s presidential election, speculation is rampant. The focus on who will join Harris on the Democratic ticket has increased after President Joe Biden dropped out of the race.
One unexpected candidate that has surfaced among the many others is Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg.
Buttigieg unambiguously endorsed Harris in an interview with MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow, citing the historic significance of Biden’s resignation.
“We had a great conversation,” Buttigieg said. “You know, I have campaigned alongside her. I have traveled with her. I have served with her. And she’s going to be an extraordinary leader for the ticket, for the party, and for the country as president.” When questioned directly about his willingness to serve as Vice President if asked, Buttigieg maintained a diplomatic stance.”
“She’s going to make that decision. She’s going to do it based on what’s best for the country, best for the party, and best for the ticket. I will do everything in my power to make sure that she is the next president because it’s so important and it’s really most of all important in terms of how everyday life is going to change,” Buttigieg said, leaving the door open to the possibility without overtly asserting his ambition.
WATCH:
Harris is reportedly narrowing down her list of possible running mates in case she wins the Democratic Party nomination next month.
President Joe Biden’s decision to exit the 2024 race on Sunday surprised Harris, according to CNN’s Jamie Gangel. Even as late as Friday night, the president had made no secret of the fact that he planned to remain in the race. However, on Saturday, the president allegedly “changed his mind.”
“And the first thing I’m told that they’re looking at is logistics. They have a campaign to put together. She has to see, as Phil was talking about earlier, whether anyone’s going to challenge her,” Gangel reported.
“The other thing is simply, you know, how does she get her name on the ballot? Yes, she is part of this infrastructure with the campaign and the convention, but this is a whole new game,” Gangel added.
To build enthusiasm and unify support for her candidacy, Gangel also revealed that Harris is examining a list of possible running partners, citing many sources close to the vice president.
One name on the list is Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ), “who I am told she likes a-lot,” Gangel said. Kelly, as well as his wife, former congresswoman Gabby Giffords, have already endorsed Harris’ candidacy.
Other candidates include Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, and North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper. “There are clearly others, but those four names are the names I keep hearing about,” the CNN reporter added.
WATCH:
Following Biden’s announcement that he would withdraw from the 2024 race due to pressure from the Democratic Party, Harris declared her own presidential campaign.
The historic declaration was made in response to calls from a growing number of Democratic lawmakers for Biden to resign, and there were reports that the party’s leadership was trying to persuade the 81-year-old biden that he would not be able to defeat former President Trump, the 2024 GOP nominee, in November’s general election. Biden won the White House four years prior.
Immediately after Harris assumed the role of the party’s presidential nominee, Biden gave Harris his “full support and endorsement.”
“It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your president,” Biden wrote in a public letter. “While I have intended to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interests of my party and the country for me to stand down and focus solely on fulfilling my duties as president for the remainder of my term.”
In a social media post, Biden said he would formally address the nation later this week about his decision and went on to endorse Harris.
The president’s support would deter other Democrats from considering a serious presidential run, and it might also pave the way for the vice president to replace Biden as the party’s nominee.
More than 178 Democratic members of the House and Senate, as well as more than six governors, such as California Governor Gavin Newsom and New York Governor Kathy Hochul, have already endorsed Harris.
After Biden made his announcement, Harris released a statement saying she is “honored to have the President’s endorsement, and I intend to earn and win this nomination.”
This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
