Vice President Kamala Harris is on the verge of making a crucial decision for her presidential campaign as she selects a running mate and prepares to introduce the new Democratic ticket to voters in several key battleground states this week.
According to multiple sources familiar with the matter who spoke to CNN, Harris is focusing on Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, although the process remains fluid. Arizona Sen Mark Kelly was also still under consideration as of Monday afternoon, a source told CNN.
The selection will mark a new phase of the campaign, as Harris seeks to maintain her recent momentum while former President Donald Trump adjusts to facing a new opponent.
Harris is expected to make her decision later Monday, informing a small team of top advisers of her choice. However, sources cautioned that if she needs more time, the final decision could be delayed until Tuesday.
The campaign plans to announce the choice through an online message to supporters before a rally in Philadelphia on Tuesday, where Harris is expected to make her first appearance with her running mate. "She hopes to keep it under wraps until as close to then as possible," a person familiar with the search told CNN.
The vice presidential search entered its final hours Sunday after Harris interviewed three final contenders – Walz, Shapiro, and Kelly – and deliberated with advisers out of public view for three consecutive days.
An intense campaign for and against the candidates has emerged across the Democratic Party spectrum. Various stakeholders have argued about who would be most electable against Trump and who could help Harris sustain her recent positive momentum.
Since President Joe Biden ended his reelection bid last month and endorsed Harris, the vice president has secured widespread Democratic support and improved on the president's polling against Trump. A new CBS News/YouGov poll released Sunday found no clear leader between Harris and Trump among likely voters nationally, whereas Biden had trailed by 5 points in previous CBS News/YouGov polling.
Harris' candidacy has energized Democrats and mobilized donors. Her campaign announced last week that it had raised $310 million in July, more than double Trump's haul of $138.7 million. On Friday, the Democratic National Committee announced that Harris had won enough delegate support to secure the party's nomination ahead of Monday's voting deadline.
As Harris prepares to choose her running mate, the Trump campaign has struggled to reshape the narrative around her. Despite efforts to portray Harris as "dangerously liberal," the former president has faced criticism for attacking her racial identity.
Republicans have urged Trump to focus on policy rather than race or identity. "Every day we're talking about her heritage and not her terrible, dangerous liberal record throughout her entire political life, is a good day for her and a bad day for us," Sen Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican and Trump ally, said on Fox News Sunday.
The selection of Harris' running mate will help shape the ticket at a time when she has been attempting to moderate her image with voters. Last week, her campaign clarified her position on several issues, including that she no longer supports "Medicare for All" or a ban on fracking.
As the running mate selection process concludes, various observers have made their case for different contenders. Former New Jersey Republican Gov Chris Christie advocated for Josh Shapiro on ABC News' This Week, while United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain expressed support for Kentucky Gov Andy Beshear and Tim Walz on CBS News' Face the Nation.
The upcoming announcement will kick off a new phase of the campaign, with Harris hoping to build on her recent momentum and present a unified Democratic ticket to voters in key battleground states.
