According to political insiders, Arizona Senator Mark Kelly and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro are the final two contenders in the veepstakes contest to run on Kamala Harris’s presidential ticket. As soon as Harris announces her pick, they will set out on a national campaign tour next week.
Vice Presidential Announcement Timeline
Harris is set to announce her vice presidential running mate by August 7. While neither has national name recognition, they bring their individual strengths and electoral and regional advantages to the competition.
Mark Kelly’s Recognition and Background
Kelly has more name and face recognition than Shapiro, as Kelly is a known astronaut and husband of former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, who was shot in the head at a town hall meeting in her district more than a decade ago.
Public Awareness of Kelly
Still, according to a poll conducted by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, Kelly is only known by half of the American electorate.
Josh Shapiro’s Regional Advantage
Shapiro is less recognizable than Kelly, yet his ability to bring votes from Pennsylvania could vastly benefit Harris.
Vetting Process for Candidates
Insiders claim that the Harris administration began vetting about a dozen candidates and has settled on one of the final two to be her running mate.
Upcoming Campaign Tour
While the final candidate has not yet been named, Harris has announced her campaign tour of seven states, which she and the selected candidate will visit upon her announcement.
Tour Destinations
The tour, which starts next week, will include the battleground states of Pennsylvania, Arizona, North Carolina, and others.
Public Perception of Mark Kelly
According to the AP-NORC poll, Americans view Kelly more favorably than negatively. Figures show that 3 out of 10 U.S. adults view Kelly favorably, compared to 2 out of 10 viewing him negatively.
Significance of Favorable Views
This positive skew may seem insignificant, but among political figures, it is relatively rare for American adults to have more negative than positive feelings about a candidate.
Comparison with Trump and Biden
Trump and Biden have had more negative impressions than positive from the public for many years.
Democratic Support for Kelly
Democrats are most likely to have a favorable view of Kelly– 45 percent view him favorably, and only 1 in 10 view him negatively. Democrats 45 years of age and older are most likely to view Kelly positively, while younger Democrats are unfamiliar with him.
Kelly’s Political Experience
Kelly is a Navy veteran, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and has credibility on immigration and border security as a representative of Arizona. Harris remains weak on immigration in public perception and is vulnerable to Republican attacks.
Shapiro’s Public Profile
Shapiro’s profile is much more unknown to Americans, including Democratic voters. He is best known in the Northeast, with higher favorability ratings and name recognition. The AP-NORC poll revealed that 60 percent of U.S. adults know little about Shapiro to form an opinion. About 20 percent view him favorably, and another 20 percent view him unfavorably.
