The – Vice President Kamala Harris has experienced a largely positive transition in the two weeks since she took over the lead of the Democrats’ national ticket from President Biden.
With an urgent desire to prevent former President Trump from reclaiming the White House, the party quickly rallied around Harris. She witnessed a significant boost in campaign contributions and outperformed Trump in fundraising efforts for July, with volunteer numbers swelling at campaign offices that transitioned from Biden to Harris.
The slight advantage Trump previously held over Biden following the president’s poor late June debate performance has since evaporated, as recent national and key battleground state polls show a tight contest resembling a dead heat between Harris and Trump.
However, Harris has an important week ahead, commencing with an imminent decision regarding her selection of a running mate on the Democratic ticket.
HARRIS OUTPACES TRUMP IN FUNDRAISING BOOST
Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during a campaign rally, Tuesday, July 30, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
This weekend, Harris remained in Washington, D.C., engaging with several potential running mate candidates, as confirmed by Democratic sources to Fox News.
Among the contenders are Govs. Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania and Tim Walz of Minnesota, along with Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona. Other names in the mix, as indicated by sources, include Govs. Andy Beshear of Kentucky, JB Pritzker of Illinois, and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.
While the selection process for running mates typically unfolds over several months, the current landscape requires a rapid approach for Harris.
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Despite the Harris camp mostly keeping quiet about the selection of a vice presidential nominee, advocates for potential candidates and interest groups within the party have been vocal about their preferences.
Harris’s upcoming announcement will likely dishearten supporters of non-selected candidates and may bring to the forefront policy divisions that have been largely concealed in recent weeks.
Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at West Allis Central High School during a campaign rally in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on July 23, 2024. (Kamil Krzaczynski/AFP via Getty Images)
On Tuesday, Harris and her yet-to-be-announced running mate will participate in a rally in Philadelphia, marking the start of an extensive swing state tour through Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan, North Carolina, Georgia, Arizona, and Nevada—key states that will likely influence the election’s outcome.
The vice president attracted over 10,000 attendees at her initial major rally since stepping into the lead of the Democratic ticket last week at the Georgia State Convocation Center in Atlanta.
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This rally represented the first instance this campaign cycle in which the Democratic ticket has drawn crowds comparable to those seen at Trump’s rallies throughout his ongoing campaign. The size and enthusiasm of Harris’ crowds during the upcoming tour will be closely observed.
Trump, alongside his running mate – Sen. JD Vance of Ohio – hosted a rally at the same Atlanta venue on Saturday, where the former president continued his barrage of insults aimed at Harris.
Earlier on Saturday and during his rally, Trump claimed that Harris possessed a “low IQ,” labeled her as “dumb,” and questioned her “mental capacity.”
Former President Trump speaks at a campaign rally at Georgia State University in Atlanta, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
The Harris campaign responded vigorously on Sunday morning, asserting that Trump is “weak… struggling… panicking… and running scared.”
To date, Harris has not participated in a significant interview since succeeding Biden, while the Trump campaign amplifies its attacks.
“It’s been 13 days since Kamala Harris became the presumptive nominee of the Democrat Party, and she still hasn’t sat for a single interview with the media,” Vance noted in a Saturday social media post.
As the week begins, Harris is set to formally secure the party’s presidential nomination, with a virtual roll call conducted by the Democratic National Committee wrapping up at 6 p.m. ET. However, this process lacks drama, as she is the only candidate who qualified.
The roll call commenced on Thursday, and DNC Chair Jaimie Harrison announced on Friday that Harris had secured the nomination, having attained a majority of delegate votes at the party’s nominating convention—a convention that will commence in two weeks in Chicago.
Though the preceding two weeks have unfolded more favorably than expected, Harris’s campaign recognizes that there are still three months left until the November election.
Battleground states director Dan Kanninen emphasized that “it is the responsibility of the Harris campaign to convert the unprecedented enthusiasm surrounding the Vice President into actionable support.”
Stay updated with the latest developments from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews, and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.
