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2w ago

Harris Says Buttigieg Was Her First‑Choice VP in 2024, Drawing a Surprised Response

The disclosure has revived Democratic arguments over representation versus electability ahead of her book’s Sept. 23 release.

FILE - Vice President Kamala Harris, right, next to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, speaks during a plenary session of the US-ASEAN Summit, May 13, 2022, at the State Department in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 06: Former Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at the State of the People POWER Tour opening ceremony on June 6, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. The ten city State of the People POWER Tour is a national campaign aimed at ‘uniting Black communities through healing, direct relief, and power building.’ (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)
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Overview

  • In excerpts of her memoir 107 Days published by The Atlantic, Kamala Harris writes that Pete Buttigieg topped her 2024 running‑mate list but a ticket pairing a Black woman with an openly gay man felt "too big of a risk."
  • Harris praises Buttigieg’s political skills in the book and says he "would have been an ideal partner," before ultimately selecting Minnesota Governor Tim Walz for a ticket that lost to President Donald Trump and JD Vance.
  • Buttigieg said he was "surprised" to learn he had been her first choice and urged "giving Americans more credit," arguing voters judge campaigns on what candidates will do for their lives rather than on identity.
  • A person familiar with their discussions told reporters Harris and Buttigieg did not talk through her reasoning during the 2024 selection process.
  • Other excerpts reiterate Harris’s critique of Joe Biden’s decision to seek reelection as "recklessness," ensuring the memoir and an ensuing book tour keep intra‑party strategy debates in public view.