Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer: I have not been vetted as Kamala Harris' running mate
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, rumored to be in the running for Vice President Kamala Harris’ potential ticket mate, told CBS Mornings that she has not been a part of the vetting process since Monday.
Whitmer, co-chair of the Harris campaign, said she has communicated with everyone, including the people of Michigan, that she plans to remain governor until the end of her term in 2026. She said a pick for Harris’ running mate is not far off.
“Everything’s truncated, and [Harris] is going to make that decision probably in the next six, seven days. I would imagine we’ll know who her running mate is, and we’ll get ready for convention,” Whitmer told the show’s co-anchors.
VP Kamala Harris is going to announce her running mate “probably, in the next 6, 7 days,” campaign co-chair @GovWhitmer tells CBS Mornings.
She adds that she believes Harris' running mate does not need to be a White man in order for her to win. https://t.co/qcj6TcLdJz pic.twitter.com/GV4GsZ5drf— CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) July 29, 2024
Who will Harris pick to be her running mate?
Whitmer bristled against the notion, circulating in the news and on social media, that Harris must choose a white man to win the election.
“I don’t agree with that,” Whitmer said. “I’ll tell you this: in Michigan, myself, my Secretary of State, my Attorney General, all the chief executives in Michigan are women – and every one of us was told there may be too many women on ticket. Baloney. We’ve proved that wrong in the swingiest of swing states.”
The Harris campaign previously announced that they’re looking for a running mate who would best complement the vice president as they seek to unite enough voters to beat Trump – likely someone from a battleground state or someone who can appeal to rural, moderate, or Rust Belt voters.
Those reportedly being vetted for the job include North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, and Cedric Richmond, a former congressman from Louisiana who served as a top aide in the Biden White House and on his campaign.
This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: Whitmer on Harris VP pick: 'I have not been part of the vetting'