(NewsNation) — Vice President Kamala Harris has chosen her 2024 election running mate, two sources with knowledge of the matter confirmed to NewsNation.
An announcement revealing the pick is anticipated in the coming hours Tuesday ahead of a rally in Philadelphia.
The selection comes as Harris crossed a largely ceremonial and important milestone late Monday night: She officially won enough votes during a virtual roll call of delegates to become the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee.
She took more than 99% of the vote.
Harris’ running mate decision
Whoever arrives in Philadelphia on Tuesday will need to bring a full suitcase, as that rally will be the first stop on a whirlwind tour of seven battleground states.
Harris had closed in on a decision about who she will choose as her running mate in recent days, a source with knowledge of the process confirmed to NewsNation.
The keys for her in making this decision are chemistry, connection to the person and being convinced this person has her back, especially if there is a disagreement about a particular policy, a different source with knowledge of the process told NewsNation. She is depending on her gut, her core and her intuition to help her make the decision, the source added.
Josh Shapiro, governor of Pennsylvania, at The Alan Horwitz “Sixth Man” Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US, on Tuesday, July 30, 2024. Vice President Kamala Harris is zeroing in on a group of potential running mates, as she faces a two-week dash to make the biggest decision of her nascent presidential bid after President Joe Biden’s stunning exit from the race accelerated what is typically a months-long vetting process. Photographer: Hannah Beier/Bloomberg via Getty Images 
BLOOMINGTON, MINNESOTA – AUGUST 1: Minnesota Governor Tim Walz arrives to speak at a press conference regarding new gun legislation at City Hall on August 1, 2024 in Bloomington, Minnesota. Walz is thought to be on a short list of potential vice presidential running mates for Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images) 
FILE – Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., speaks about the southern border outside the West Wing of the White House, Tuesday, June 4, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File)
Harris has reportedly narrowed her search to Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, according to Reuters, which cited three unnamed sources with knowledge of the matter.
In addition to Walz and Shapiro, Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly has been at the top of the list of potential running mates.
However, a now-deleted post on X fueled weekend speculation that Kelly was out of the vice presidential pool.
“My background is a bit different than most politicians,” Kelly wrote. “I spent my life serving in the Navy and at NASA, where the mission always comes first. Now, my mission is serving Arizonans.”
Other contenders, though believed to be long shots, are Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer withdrew from consideration shortly after speculation of their candidacy.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear speaks during an interview at the Kentucky State Capitol in Frankfort, Ky., Monday, July 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley) 
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN – JUNE 08: Governor of Illinois JB Pritzker speaks during the WisDems 2024 State Convention on June 08, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images for The Democratic Party of Wisconsin) 
Pete Buttigieg, US secretary of transportation, speaks during a news conference in Long Beach, California, US, on Thursday, July 18, 2024. The Pier B on-dock rail project, which is expected to be the largest rail facility of any port in the US, will serve the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles. Photographer: Tim Rue/Bloomberg via Getty Images 
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper touts Medicaid expansion reaching 500,000 enrollees during a news conference at the North Carolina Executive Mansion in Raleigh, N.C., on Friday, July 12, 2024. It took about seven moths to reach 500,000 enrollees, which Cooper said exceeded his office’s expectations. (AP Photo/Sakiya Seminera) 
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 19: Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer participates in the session “Women’s Rights are Human Rights: How to Provide Abortion Care in a Post-Dobbs World” onstage during the Clinton Global Initiative September 2023 Meeting at New York Hilton Midtown on September 19, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Noam Galai/Getty Images for Clinton Global Initiative)
Harris campaign hits the road
According to a campaign statement, the top of the ticket will hit seven cities in five days beginning Tuesday: Philadelphia; Eau Claire, Wisconsin; Detroit; Durham, North Carolina; Savannah, Georgia; Phoenix and Las Vegas.
The itinerary will include big arena and college campus rallies as well as “more intimate settings” like union halls, restaurants and campaign field offices.
“These stops will highlight the ticket’s strength in the Blue Wall and Sunbelt, from urban areas to rural communities. At each stop, our new ticket will be joined by local elected officials, union members, faith leaders, and more,” the Harris campaign said.
“This swing will allow the Vice President and her running mate to speak directly with voters in their communities and cement the contrast between our ticket and Trump’s,” the statement added.
Harris reportedly spent much of Sunday meeting with some of her possible running mates and conferring with former Attorney General Eric Holder and her brother-in-law, Tony West. Holder and West, who was a top official under Holder during the Obama administration, have overseen the vetting process.
The roll call ahead of the Democratic National Convention in two weeks is to accommodate an Ohio law that requires presidential candidates to be nominated at least 90 days before Election Day.
