Harris, facing a crucial week, approaches the choice of her running mate

Vice President Kamala Harris, struggling to keep momentum alive for the early 2024 presidential election, is also bracing for a crucial week that includes her most critical decision yet: choosing a running mate.

Harris was the only candidate eligible to receive votes, as no other candidate had qualified by last week’s deadline. She officially clinched the nomination Monday night, when the DNC released final results.

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Here’s the latest:

Sources say Harris has decided who her running mate will be

Vice President Kamala Harris has decided on her running mate and an announcement is expected in the coming hours before the two appear together at a rally in Philadelphia, according to three people familiar with her decision.

In recent days, he has focused on a trio of potential finalists: Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. It was not yet clear who he chose.

The people were familiar with his plans but spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss a decision that had not been announced publicly.

Harris’ campaign planned to make the announcement via video message before the rally, though the exact timing is unclear, according to a person involved in the planning who spoke on condition of anonymity to detail discussions that occurred behind closed doors.

— Seung Min Kim, Zeke Miller and Colleen Long

Harris formally secures Democratic presidential nomination

Vice President Kamala Harris formally secured the Democratic presidential nomination on Monday night, becoming the first woman of color to lead a major party ticket.

Harris’ nomination became official after a five-day round of online voting by Democratic National Convention delegates ended Monday night. The party said in a statement released shortly before midnight that 99% of delegates who cast ballots had done so for Harris. It added that it would then formally certify the vote before holding a celebratory roll call at the party’s convention later this month in Chicago.

Harris’ coronation as her party’s standard-bearer caps a tumultuous and frenetic period for Democrats sparked by President Joe Biden’s disastrous performance in the June debate.

As soon as Biden abruptly ended his candidacy, Harris and her team worked quickly to secure the 1,976 party delegates needed to secure the nomination in a formal roll call vote. She achieved that goal with great speed: An Associated Press poll of delegates nationwide showed she secured the necessary commitments just 32 hours after Biden’s announcement.