Kamala Harris Reflects on Running Mate Choice in Upcoming Book

In her forthcoming book titled “107 Days,” former Vice President Kamala Harris disclosed that Minnesota Governor Tim Walz wasn’t her top pick for the 2024 Democratic presidential ticket. Instead, she initially favored former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

As noted in an excerpt shared by The Atlantic, Harris mentioned she considered Buttigieg her “first choice,” but ultimately deemed the selection “too risky.”

Harris explained that while Buttigieg, openly gay, “would have been an ideal partner — if I were a straight White man.”

She elaborated, “We were already asking a lot of America: to accept a woman, a Black woman, a Black woman married to a Jewish man. Part of me wanted to say, ‘Screw it, let’s just do it,’ but it was too big of a risk given what was at stake.”

“I think Pete also knew that — to our mutual sadness,” she added.

Harris recalled watching the final debate of the campaign featuring Walz against JD Vance, where she hoped her running mate would “seal the deal.”

She observed Vance’s calm demeanor, contrasting sharply with President Donald Trump’s aggressive style.

“When Tim fell for it and started nodding and smiling at JD’s fake bipartisanship, I moaned to Doug, ‘What is happening?’” she shared.

“I told the television screen: ‘You’re not there to make friends with the guy who is attacking your running mate,’” she continued.

Harris criticized Walz for fumbling his response when questioned about his previous claims of being in Hong Kong during the democracy protests in Tiananmen Square, where instead of acknowledging his mistake, he spoke about biking in Nebraska.

“The following weekend, Saturday Night Live aired a sketch featuring actors as Doug and me, sitting on our couch, watching the debate. While I didn’t actually spit out my wine, it really captured the essence of our evening,” Harris commented.

Looking ahead, Harris has ruled out a run for governor of California in 2026, suggesting she might consider a presidential campaign in 2028.