Kamala Harris will hold her first campaign rally with her yet-to-be-named vice-presidential running mate in Philadelphia next Tuesday. This announcement has fueled speculation that Josh Shapiro, the governor of Pennsylvania, might be joining the Democratic ticket.
Late on Tuesday, the Harris campaign informed Politico that the rally would feature the current vice-president and her vice-presidential pick on 6 August. However, an unnamed Harris aide “cautioned against reading too much into the first city chosen for the tour.”
Pennsylvania, a critical swing state with the most electoral votes, has a highly popular figure in Shapiro. Two other governors, Tim Walz of Minnesota and Andy Beshear of Kentucky, are also under serious consideration. Additionally, US Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg are reportedly on Harris’s shortlist.
Speculations and Donor Reactions
Major Democratic donors believe Harris is likely to select a governor, partly due to a federal rule that restricts certain Wall Street employees from donating to tickets featuring state officials. According to Axios, the SEC rule aims to prevent “pay-to-play” schemes where donors in the investing industry might try to curry favor with state officials controlling significant state pension funds. The Harris campaign has mentioned the SEC rule while urging Wall Street donors to contribute quickly, with some donors interpreting they have until Sunday to make their contributions.
This timeline aligns with Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s comments on Monday, stating a vice-presidential pick would be named within “six or seven days.” Whitmer, previously considered a running mate, is now a Harris co-campaign chair.
Harris and the selected Democrat will campaign in cities across seven swing states in four days, including Detroit, Raleigh, Savannah, Phoenix, Las Vegas, and western Wisconsin. Since Joe Biden withdrew from his re-election campaign, Harris has reshaped the race, raising $200 million and attracting numerous volunteers. Recent polls show Harris leading Trump in several key battleground states.
Bloomberg News and Morning Consult reported that Harris had “wiped out” Trump’s lead in seven battleground states, gaining substantial support from young, Black, and Hispanic voters. Harris leads by 11 points in Michigan and by two points in Wisconsin, Nevada, and Arizona. She is level with Trump in Georgia but trails in North Carolina by two points and Pennsylvania by four points.
In his first term as governor, Shapiro maintains strong approval ratings, even among some Republican voters. Shapiro, like Harris, has a background as a prosecutor, contrasting with Trump’s legal troubles. At 51, Shapiro presents a youthful contrast to Trump, who is 78.
Harris aides continue to downplay speculation about her running mate. However, on Wednesday, the betting site oddstrader.com gave Shapiro an “implied win probability” of slightly more than 42%, leading the field by 11 points.
Implications of Harris’s Campaign Strategy
Kamala Harris’s upcoming campaign rally in Philadelphia has sparked significant interest and speculation regarding her vice-presidential pick. With a strong focus on key swing states and substantial fundraising efforts, Harris is positioning herself as a formidable candidate in the upcoming election. The choice of running mate, be it Josh Shapiro or another contender, will be crucial in shaping the dynamics of her campaign.
