Harris campaign begins vetting potential running mates

Kamala Harris's campaign has requested vetting materials from several potential running mates to join the vice president on the Democratic ticket in November, including Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly (D).

A Democratic official confirmed to The Hill that the Harris campaign has begun the vetting process as the vice president’s team looks to quickly settle on a running mate ahead of next month’s convention in Chicago.

Shapiro, Kelly, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper (D), Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) are among those being considered, the official said.

USA Today reported that Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D) and former Biden administration official and former Rep. Cedric Richmond (D-La.) also received a request for materials.

A Harris campaign spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.

Pritzker said earlier Tuesday on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” he had not received a request for vetting materials. When asked if he’d be interested in the role, Pritzker said, “I'm very interested in making sure that Kamala Harris becomes the next president of the United States."

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D), another name often floated as a potential running mate for Harris, told CNN on Monday he had not been asked for vetting materials.

Harris’s running mate will be one of the most closely watched decisions in the coming weeks as Democrats overhaul their presidential ticket ahead of the Aug. 19 convention. President Biden announced Sunday he would not seek reelection and endorsed Harris as the next nominee.

Harris quickly consolidated support among Democrats, already securing the backing of enough delegates to be the likely Democratic nominee.

Multiple sources told The Hill they viewed Shapiro and Kelly as the strongest contenders to join Harris on the ticket, citing the fact that both hail from battleground states that will be crucial in the upcoming election. Shapiro in particular is seen as a rising star in the party, while Kelly is a veteran and an astronaut who won a tough reelection fight in Arizona in 2022 by 5 percentage points.