(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.
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.
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.