The race for Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate on the Democratic presidential ticket is heating up, with Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz emerging as the leading candidates. However, a recent NPR/PBS News Marist poll revealed that the majority of Americans are unfamiliar with these potential VP picks.
Kelly has the highest favorability rating among the three candidates, with 31% favorable to 18% unfavorable, but 52% of respondents said they were unsure or had never heard of him. Shapiro, speculated to be the front-runner, has a 25%-23% favorable to unfavorable rating, with 53% of Americans unsure. Walz, the progressive favorite, is the most unknown of the three, with 71% of survey respondents unsure or unfamiliar with him.
Meanwhile, Harris has improved her favorability numbers, with a 46-48% favorable-unfavorable rating. Former President Trump, the Republican nominee, is viewed mostly unfavorably by 53% of respondents.
Harris is set to announce her running mate at a rally in Philadelphia, with Kelly, Shapiro, and Walz as the finalists in a truncated vetting process. The announcement is expected to kick off an ambitious swing state tour through key battlegrounds that will likely determine the outcome of the presidential election.
Stay tuned for updates on Harris’ running mate selection and the upcoming campaign trail events.
