Kamala Harris to campaign in Philadelphia next week with her still-unnamed running mate
Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during a campaign event at the Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote Presidential Town Hall at the Pennsylvania Convention Center on July 13, 2024 in Philadelphia. (Photo by Drew Hallowell/Getty Images)
Vice President Kamala Harris will make her first visit to Pennsylvania as the Democratic Party’s likely presidential nominee next Tuesday, and will be joined by her yet-unnamed running mate, the Harris campaign confirmed.
“Next week, Vice President Harris and her future running mate will crisscross the country together to campaign to the voters who will decide this election, including a stop in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,” a Harris campaign official told the Capital-Star.
The news was first reported by Politico.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro is believed to be on the short list of candidates to be Harris’ running mate, but he has declined to comment, referring all questions to the Harris campaign. Harris became the Democrats’ likely presidential nominee after President Joe Biden ended his reelection bid on July 21 and endorsed her.
Harris has since secured commitments from enough state delegates to clinch the nomination, which is expected to be made official at the Democratic National Convention next month, or possibly before.
In the short time since Biden dropped out, Shapiro has stumped for Harris at campaign events across the state, on Saturday in Carlisle, and on Monday at a rally in Montgomery County.
He was joined Monday by Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who was herself rumored to be a candidate for Harris’ running mate, but has said she had no plans to seek higher office. CNBC reported Shapiro will be in the Hamptons in New York state on Sunday to rub elbows with wealthy donors.
Former President Donald Trump, the GOP nominee for president, will be in Harrisburg on Wednesday for his first campaign rally in Pennsylvania since he was injured during an assassination attempt in Butler on July 13. Trump named U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio his running mate on July 15, and the two have campaigned in battleground states over the past two weeks.
Vance is not expected to be at the rally in Harrisburg, but GOP U.S. Senate candidate David McCormick, who was also at the Butler rally, will be in attendance. Vance has not campaigned in Pennsylvania since being officially named as the vice presidential pick.
Politico reported Tuesday that in addition to Philadelphia, Harris will campaign with her running mate next week in Wisconsin, Detroit, Raleigh, Savannah, Phoenix and Las Vegas.
A poll from Susquehanna Polling released Tuesday found Harris leading Trump by 4 points in Pennsylvania, 47% to 43%. Independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. received 3% in the poll, conducted between July 22 and 28.
With its 19 electoral votes, Pennsylvania is the biggest prize of all the battleground states, and is considered key to winning the presidency. Harris most recently visited the Keystone state in a July 13 appearance in Philadelphia, to address the Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVote) Presidential Town Hall.
Biden beat Trump in Pennsylvania in 2020 by just over 80,000 votes.
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