Harris’ best VP choice would be a governor: Rhode Island Rep.
- Governors have the right skillset, says Rep. Gabe Amo
- Amo worked with governors while at the White House
- He won’t say which governor he favors
(NewsNation) — He won’t say which one, but a House Democrat says Vice President Kamala Harris should pick a governor to be her running mate.
“That skillset makes someone who’s been a governor a chief operating partner when the rubber hits the road on the big issues in our country,” Rep. Gabe Amo, D-R.I., told “NewsNation Prime.”
“When you have seen how they’ve each been tested, I think that is a good measure. I truly don’t believe we’ll go wrong,” he added.
Amo says he got a front-row seat into how a governor works during his time under Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo, who is now the Secretary of Commerce in the Biden administration.
He was also the deputy director of intergovernmental affairs in the Biden White House, where he worked with several governors.
On Sunday Harris reportedly met with three of those considered to be the top contenders for the ticket: Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly.
Others mentioned as finalists are Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.
Reporters staked out near the vice president’s official residence at the Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C. also saw former Attorney General Eric Holder enter the grounds Sunday. Holder has overseen vetting the VP candidates.
Harris is scheduled to hold a rally Tuesday in Philadelphia, leading many to speculate that Shapiro is her choice to join the ticket.
“Gov. Shapiro is a great leader, and I think would be a strong pick,” Amo said, while also cautioning against assuming that Shapiro is the pick just because of the venue.
The Tuesday running mate announcement in Philadelphia will be the first event of a whirlwind week that will also include stops in nearly every other battleground state: Wisconsin, Michigan, North Carolina, Georgia, Arizona and Nevada.
In addition to big rallies, the pair will meet voters in “more intimate settings” such as small businesses, union halls and campaign field offices, according to a statement from the campaign.