Harris interviewing VP finalists, decision coming in days

WASHINGTON — Kamala Harris and her vetting team are interviewing running-mate finalists as the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee nears a decision for her pick of vice president by early next week, according to a source familiar with the process and multiple media reports.

Harris' vetting team has already met in private with Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, according to reports in POLITICO, Bloomberg and NBC News. The vice president also plans to hold sit down talks with her leading candidates as she approaches her final pick as Democrats ready for their national convention in Chicago starting Aug. 19.

Democratic campaign aides have cautioned against reading too deeply into any one particular meeting Harris or her team is holding as it concludes a truncated vetting process for a job that would potentially make the person holding it next in the line of presidential succession. They've also downplayed the location of Harris' first scheduled event with her TBA running mate on Tuesday in Philadelphia - the biggest city in a battleground state led by Shapiro - that will feature its 2024 White House ticket.

The Harris campaign has engaged in a rapid vice-presidential vetting process since President Joe Biden's decision 10 days ago to drop his reelection bid and endorse his vice president's quest to win the White House in November.

More: Kamala Harris VP pick and battleground tour coming next week

Harris' campaign confirmed on Tuesday that a VP pick will come in before Harris and her running mate on Aug. 6 are scheduled to visit Philadelphia. Additional stops are also planned next week in western Wisconsin, Detroit, Raleigh, N.C.; Savannah, Ga.; Phoenix and Las Vegas.

The process for Harris to name her running-mate has been further accelerated by the Democratic National Committee's self-imposed Aug. 7 deadline to virtually confirm the party's presidential and vice presidential nominees ahead of the Democratic National Convention later in the month.

The swift pacing of Harris' VP selection comes with 97 days until Election Day.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Harris interviewing VP finalists, decision coming in days