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VP stakes: Focus is on 3 other candidates today, signaling a Harris snub of Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear?

The clock is ticking.

Vice President Kamala Harris has just two days to decide who she wants to be her running mate.

There’s a lot to consider, and she and her team may still be evaluating Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear.

In the two weeks since President Joe Biden stepped aside in his reelection campaign and threw his support behind Harris, the 46-year-old Kentucky governor’s name has been bandied about to run alongside Harris in her bid for the White House this November.

But in the latest breaking news from the New York Times and other outlets Saturday night and Sunday, the list of three candidates confirmed to have been meeting in-person with Harris Sunday does not include Beshear.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly have been reported by multiple outlets to have meetings scheduled with Harris Sunday.

However, the reports don’t exclude the possibility that Beshear met with Harris that day as well, or earlier on Saturday.

Beshear was in Kentucky Saturday night and Sunday morning. He posted to X, the social media site formerly known as Twitter, photos of he and his son attending a Savannah Bananas baseball game in Louisville Saturday and at a Frankfort church service 10:45 a.m. Sunday.

The governor was on the widely reported list of six finalists, all white men, for the role. Aside from the aforementioned officials, the list also included Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

There’s still loud support for Beshear among some of the most influential figures among Democrats.

Here’s a roundup of the latest on the so-called “veepstakes.”

—Beshear got a second boost on Sunday, when powerful labor leader Shawn Fain, president of the United Auto Workers union, once again backed Beshear on national television. Appearing on CBS' "Face the Nation," Fain said that Beshear was his “favorite,” of all the VP contenders and that he believes a Harris-Beshear ticket “would be unbeatable.”

—The New York Times reported Sunday that Walz, Kelly and Shapiro would meet with Harris that day at her residence in Washington, “according to several people briefed on the plans.”

—A CBS News reporter later said that a source informed them to “not to make too much of who has in-person interviews with (Harris) today, as she is talking to others who have not been confirmed in the public.”

—Former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-CA, who is still influential in the capital, is reportedly keen on Walz as Harris’ vice presidential pick, according to The Hill. The outlet reports a source saying she “is always especially fond of former House colleagues.” Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, a former presidential contender and popular figure on the left, also signaled support for Walz.

—While many believe and have believed that Shapiro is the favorite to become Harris’ running mate given the importance of Pennsylvania to the electoral college map, reports have surfaced of Shapiro’s college-age statements about Palestine. He wrote more than 30 years ago that Palestinians were “too battle-minded” and “peace between Arabs and Israelis is virtually impossible and will never come,” words that have drawn criticism from the left given that the Israel-Palestine conflict is a matter that divides many Democrats. Shapiro said the writing does not represent his views now.

—Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania has privately relayed concerns about Shapiro to Harris’ team, reflecting a long-running rivalry between the two Keystone State politicians, Politico reported.

Harris and her new VP nominee are to make a campaign appearance Tuesday evening in Philadelphia. Beshear is scheduled to lead a Democratic fundraiser in Chicago Monday.

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©2024 Lexington Herald-Leader. Visit kentucky.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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