WASHINGTON, US
The list of candidates to run with Kamala Harris, the presumptive Democratic U.S. presidential nominee, narrowed on Monday, with North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper and Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer both out.
The high-stakes decision has
taken center-stage since Vice President Harris became the Democratic
frontrunner for the November election just over a week ago after President Joe
Biden ended his White House bid.
Vice presidential nominees can
be used to balance a presidential candidate's ticket to appeal to a wider swath
of voters, and Harris is weighing a list of mostly white, male candidates.
Cooper withdrew from Harris' vice-presidential
candidate pool, saying in a statement on Monday: "I was honored to be
considered for this role. This just wasn't the right time for North Carolina
and for me to potentially be on a national ticket."
Also on Monday, Whitmer said
on "CBS Mornings" that she was "not a part of the vetting"
process for Harris' running mate.
"I have communicated with
everyone, including the people of Michigan, that I'm going to stay as governor
until the end of my term at the end of 2026," Whitmer said.
Harris took a break from the
campaign trail this weekend and held private conversations with several of the
candidates, including Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, according to two
sources familiar with the calls.
Others under consideration
include Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, U.S. Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona,
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, and Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg.
Candidates have hit the
national television circuit to showcase what they bring to the campaign.
Buttigieg, considered by even
his allies as a long shot, talked to Harris privately about the opportunity,
according to two sources familiar with the event.
He also held a call with a
group of donors from his 2020 presidential bid where he said he wanted the job,
but was going to respect the process, the sources said.
No comments:
Post a Comment