Harris says Buttigieg was her top 2024 running-mate pick, Walz was second

Former Vice President Kamala Harris reveals in an excerpt from her forthcoming memoir that Pete Buttigieg was her first choice for the 2024 vice presidential nomination, not Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. The Atlantic published the excerpt from '107 Days,' a memoir about the eight months between Harris's nomination and the election. Harris writes that Buttigieg 'would have been an ideal partner — if I were a straight white man,' noting the political risk of nominating a Black woman married to a Jewish man. 'Part of me wanted to say, Screw it, let’s just do it. But knowing what was at stake, it was too big of a risk.'

According to the excerpt, Buttigieg was at the top of an eight-person short list, though the book does not identify the other seven contenders by name. Rumored runners included California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, and Maryland Gov. Wes Moore. Harris described Buttigieg as 'a sincere public servant with the rare talent of being able to frame liberal arguments in a way that makes it possible for conservatives to hear them.' 'I love Pete. I love working with Pete.' The book identifies Buttigieg as then-Secretary of Transportation.

Walz ultimately became the running mate, according to the memoir. Whether Walz knew he was Harris's second choice is not disclosed in the excerpt. The Atlantic's Jonathan Lemire noted that Harris does not reveal that detail in the public release.

Harris also reflects on the campaign's arc, including a previously published excerpt in which she acknowledged she might have advised then-President Joe Biden differently about pursuing reelection in 2024. Biden ultimately dropped out of the race in July, leaving Harris with 107 days to win over voters.

The excerpts offer a window into the internal debates that surrounded the Democratic ticket in 2024 and the personal considerations that shaped the selection, including the intersection of race, gender, and religious background in a high-stakes bid for the White House.

Ultimately, Harris and the Democratic ticket did not prevail in the 2024 race, which was won by Donald Trump.