Former VP hopefuls react to Biden picking Kamala Harris as his running mate
Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden announced Sen. Kamala Harris of California as his running mate on Tuesday.
“I have the great honor to announce that I’ve picked @KamalaHarris — a fearless fighter for the little guy, and one of the country’s finest public servants — as my running mate,” Biden tweeted.
Previous VP hopefuls offered their congratulations and encouragement to Harris on Twitter.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, former national security adviser Susan Rice, and Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts were in contention for Biden’s running mate. He also reportedly considered gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams of Georgia, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico, Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois, and Reps. Val Demings of Florida and Karen Bass of California.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who was also in contention for Biden’s pick, took herself out of the running in June amid ongoing national protests against police brutality, including in her state of Minnesota, saying Biden should pick a woman of color, CNN reported.
“Filled with joy that Sen. @KamalaHarris is our Vice Presidential nominee!” Klobuchar tweeted shortly after the news was announced. “This is a historic moment, and I know that her leadership, experience, and character will help move our country forward when she and @JoeBiden take back the White House!”
Rice tweeted: “My warmest congratulations to @KamalaHarris. I am confident Biden-Harris will prove to be a winning ticket. I will do my utmost to help them win and govern.
“Thrilled to support @KamalaHarris as next VP,” Abrams wrote on Twitter. “I was honored to speak with @JoeBiden at length over the weekend and again today. His focus on reaching out to every corner of our country speaks to how he will lead us.”
Warren tweeted: “She’ll be a great partner to Joe Biden in making our government a powerful force for good in the fight for social, racial, and economic justice.”
“California is better because of her work as Attorney General and stronger because of her work as Senator,” Bass wrote. “Now all Americans will benefit from her work as Vice President.”
Biden will accept the Democratic nomination over video from Delaware instead of in-person at the DNC in Milwaukee due to coronavirus concerns, The Hill reported.
Former President Barack Obama and former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton will speak at the convention the same day as Harris, according to the publication.
