Vice President Kamala Harris is set to meet with three top contenders for the Democratic vice presidential nomination on Sunday, as the party prepares for the November election.
The meetings, which will take place at the Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C., will bring together Harris with Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Gov. Josh Shapiro (D-PA), and Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN), according to multiple sources.
While these three leaders are believed to be among the top contenders for the vice presidential spot, it is unclear whether other individuals who have reportedly spoken with Harris, such as Gov. Andy Beshear (D-KY), are still under consideration.
The Sunday meetings are being characterized as a “chemistry test” by the New York Times, as Harris prepares to campaign with her running mate in key swing states later this week.
Each of the three contenders has received significant support from their respective bases, but a recent social media post by Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker has sparked speculation about the front-runner. The post appeared to suggest that Shapiro may be the leading candidate, although some have interpreted it as a campaign push to secure the spot for him.
Harris has until the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, scheduled for August 19-22, to select her running mate. Despite the uncertainty surrounding the vice presidential pick, Harris is widely expected to secure the party’s official nomination ahead of the convention.
Once the running mate is selected, Harris and her team will embark on a battleground state swing, targeting Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan, Georgia, Arizona, Nevada, and North Carolina. The tour will kick off with a rally in Philadelphia on Tuesday.
