In a surprising twist, the Democratic party finds itself immersed in a combative, factional primary, a situation they had hoped to evade. This intense struggle over who will secure the position at the bottom of the ticket is unfolding predominantly behind the scenes.
In recent days, the final stage of the race for Vice-President Kamala Harris’s running mate has taken a rather bitter turn. Party members, including donors and political adversaries from both moderate and progressive factions, have been lobbying for their choice of candidates. These interest groups have also been circulating memos scrutinising the political vulnerabilities of potential candidates in relation to crucial demographics.
The criticisms have been most pronounced against Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro, a front runner for the position, who has attracted opposition from progressives and even a senator from his own state. The divisions within the Democratic party have come to light as Shapiro, alongside Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona and Minnesota governor Tim Walz, met with Harris at her Washington home on Sunday. The meeting happened ahead of an announcement that the Harris campaign promised would be made by Tuesday.
However, Kevin Munoz, a spokesperson for the Harris campaign, has declined to comment on these Sunday meetings.
Harris is slated to commence her campaign trail with her yet-to-be-announced running mate this week. The itinerary involves a five-day tour across seven states, and starts off with a rally on Tuesday night in Philadelphia. It is predicted that Shapiro will be present, irrespective of whether he is selected as her running mate.
Progressive groups have been vocally critical of both Shapiro and Kelly, accusing them of having overly conservative views on vital matters. Shawn Fain, leader of the United Autoworkers Union, voiced his apprehensions in a Sunday interview on CBS regarding Kelly’s dedication towards pro-labour legislation, and stated that the union had “greater issues” with Shapiro’s support for schoo vouchers.
Prominent Democratic donors have implied that they would be content with any of the candidates that Harris has shortlisted. However, there are disagreements among the party’s major contributors. The Democracy Alliance’s email platform has seen a heated exchange of views, with left-wing donors expressing their reservations about Shapiro.
A progressive activist faction linked to an email group known as “Gamechanger Salon” has recently expressed their opposition to Shapiro, urging its members to emphasise his views on the Israel-Hamas conflict. Disagreements heightened during a conversation about the use of the term “Genoside Josh” as a descriptor for Shapiro, a Jewish adherent, with many questioning whether such a phrase constitutes anti-Semitism. An individual spearheading the communication called for peace and renamed the email thread “Why Josh Shapiro should not be the VP.” Certain communication exchanges within the group also advocated for Walz, who has gained the favour of the most liberal contributors to the party, addressing approximately 60 such contributors on a recent Friday.
Billy Wimsatt, the leading figure of a liberal donor organisation called the Movement Voter Project, wrote an email indicating that Shapiro’s selection might result in decreased turnout from progressive voters anxious about the war. “His presence stands to considerably dampen the excitement within key sectors of young voters, Arab and Muslim voters, and to some extent labour,” he remarked in a communique shared with the New York Times. “Tim Walz emerges as the ideal VP candidate for Harris in light of the current situation,” he added.
John Fetterman, a Senator of Pennsylvania that has a history of friction with Shapiro, has aired his distress over the possibility of the Governor progressing to a national ticket, as per the conversations with a duo of individuals. An aide to Fetterman contacted the Harris campaign expressing objections to Shapiro, a detail initially reported by Politico.
While declined to comment on the VP selection process, Shapiro’s representative, Manuel Bonder defended him. Both the media and a number of party moderates have pushed back against escalating attacks on Shapiro. Joe Scarborough, the host of MSNBC’s Morning Joe, launched a strong defence of the Pennsylvania governor on social media X, stating that the fresh barrage of attacks demonstrate a noxious combination of anti-Semitism, extreme Gaza views, and envious colleagues fearful of being sidelined in future presidential contests.
In recent times, a faction of progressive donors has strongly advocated for Walz. Over the recent week, Democratic operatives, Doran Schrantz from Faith in Minnesota PAC and Wimsatt among others, have been circulating a memo named “The Case for Tim Walz for vice president,” in a bid to influence Harris’s decision.
A comparable document praising the transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg, who was the main attraction at a Harris fundraiser in New Hampshire on Saturday, was distributed to Democrats, including high-profile contributors, last week.
Kelly shared a rather unusual message on social media, indicating his intentions to concentrate on his hometown, which he later removed. Kelly wrote that his past experiences are unlike most politicians, highlighting his time serving in the navy and at Nasa. He emphasized that the mission has always been the priority and his current mission is to serve the people of Arizona. Jacob Peters, Kelly’s representative, clarified that the post was removed due to misunderstandings.
Shapiro has won the favour of pro-Israel party donors, contributors linked to the school-choice movement, and those in Silicon Valley who lean towards business-friendly principles. However, his centrist views that attract these groups are exactly the ones that make him unpopular among the party’s most left-wing funders.
There are suggestions that a potential compromise candidate like Kentucky governor Andy Beshear could secure the nomination. Beshear is liked by both more liberal and centrist contributors of the party. According to sources, Beshear has recently been casting himself before several major donors eager to vet him, including an exclusive session on Friday evening.
Beshear was not reportedly involved in Harris’s latest interviews on Sunday. However, he was seen with his labradoodle, Winnie, outside the governor’s residence in Frankfort, Kentucky. When questioned about his plans for the day, he simply stated, “Just walking the dog this morning.”
On Monday evening, Walz and Beshear plan to host competing fundraisers in Minneapolis and Chicago for Harris’s benefit, respectively. Walz’s event was fully booked as of Sunday evening, whereas tickets for Beshear’s fundraiser remained available.
It is likely that a decision from Harris will have been made by that point. This article was initially published in The New York Times. Copyright 2024 The New York Times Company.