Democrats reveal who Kamala Harris should select as her VP… and why ‘chemistry’ is key

Democrats are pushing to have their favorite colleagues and friends considered for Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate.

Harris is reportedly set to pick a vice president and could start campaigning with her right-hand man as early as next week.

After quickly gaining the full support of the Democratic Party following President Joe Biden’s monumental re-election just over a week ago, she began exploring potential second options.

The top candidates in the race include Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, Michigan Sen. Gary Peters, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

Despite their differences, they are all white and male, and they provide different advantages to Harris’ campaign in several states that Democrats absolutely must win.

Beshear, Shapiro and Walz bring high-level experience to the role and are well-known in their key states of Kentucky, Pennsylvania and Minnesota.

Kelly is a well-known former astronaut from Arizona who has experience in the Senate since his election in 2020.

Democrats must win these states if they want any chance of winning the White House and lowering their poll numbers.

The decision on who will join Harris on the ticket is expected in the coming days as she plans to campaign with her running mate next week, sources told Reuters on Tuesday.

Now the Democrats are revealing to DailyMail.com who they want to see join Kamala at the top of the list.

“Both Kelly and Peters, both would be great,” Democratic Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia – who himself was once selected as Hillary Clinton’s pick for vice president in 2016 – told DailyMail.com.

Kaine went on to say that Harris has a number of good options, but that she will have to focus on the option she “clicks with” and who “can garner support in the key states.”

“First of all, it’s her decision, but I obviously have a favorite,” Pennsylvania Democrat Sen. Bob Casey told DailyMail.com. “Both our governor and good friend, Governor Josh Shapiro.”

However, his colleague, Democrat Senator Tammy Duckworth of Illinois, had a different idea.

“So my Governor JB Pritzker would be great,” she said. “He’s turned our state upside down.”

Although Illinois Governor Pritzker was her first choice, Duckworth also suggested another name.

“I also think Tim Walz would be a very good candidate,” she revealed to DailyMail.com, adding that the two have spent time together in the House and that Walz, like her, is a veteran, which she said “would be very helpful to a new commander in chief.”

The senators on the shortlist have not themselves announced who they think Harris should select.

“That’s a good question,” Arizona Senator Mark Kelly told DailyMail.com, one of the most talked about Democrats in the running mate race.I think there are a lot of good options.

Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.), who is also suspected of running for vice president, also gave DailyMail.com a non-answer.

“She has a lot of great people to choose from,” he said. “She’ll go through her process and I’m confident that whoever she chooses will be a great vice president.”

When asked if he wanted the job after reports emerged that Harris was considering him as a possible running mate, he again brushed off the request.

“We have to respect her process. She has a lot of people to look at. We’re going to let her look at people and make the right decision.”

Democratic Sen. John Tester of Montana, who is facing a tough re-election campaign and is under threat over his ties to the Biden administration, stayed out of the speculation about the vice president.

“That’s a call for someone other than me,” Tester said of Harris’ choice for vice president.

Democrat John Hickenlooper, Senator from Colorado, said: “Governor [Jared] Police in Colorado, I mean [Commerce Sec.] Gina Raimondo, [Transportation Sec.] Pete Buttigieg, there’s a lot of talent.

“But I’m a big fan of Mark Kelly,” he admitted. “I think he’s the closest thing we’ve got to a national hero.”

The Colorado senator said Kelly’s time in the military and his work as an astronaut set him apart from other candidates.

Hickenlooper added that Kelly reminds him of former President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who led the U.S. through World War II, and said he “became known for the fact that he could make everyone around him [him] better.’

Democratic Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut told DailyMail.com that he would not dare influence Harris’ choice for vice president.

“The worst thing I would do would be to give Kamala Harris advice. She needs to choose who she thinks is the best fit for her and the best possible leader of the country.”

Massachusetts Democrat Elizabeth Warren said simply that the vice president “can pick whoever she wants.”

A Democrat from the Michigan House of Representatives, Rep. Shri Thanedar, endorsed Peters and said he will support the senator after Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer dropped out of the race.

“Support Sen. Gary Peters for VP,” Thanedar posted on X on Monday. “If Gretchen won’t do it, Gary is the next best thing.”

On the other side of the spectrum, Republican Senator Josh Hawley also weighed in, saying he could see his Arizona colleague running for the position.

“I’m very impressed with Senator Kelly. I can understand why she vetted him. I hope she doesn’t pick him, let’s put it that way,” he told Reporters on Tuesday.

“He’s really sharp,” Hawley continued. “And I think he clearly has an honorable record of serving this country in a variety of ways.”

Republican Senator John Cornyn of Texas also did not propose a running mate for Harris. “I’m just going to wait and see,” he told DailyMail.com.