Trump and Vance argue they don't care about Harris' VP pick
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) introduces former President Donald Trump during a rally at Herb Brooks National Hockey Center on July 27, 2024 in St Cloud, Minnesota. Photo: Stephen Maturen/Getty Images
Former President Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) shared a similar stance when asked in interviews about Vice President Kamala Harris' looming VP pick: They say they don't care.
The big picture: Harris is expected to announce her No. 2 before she tours seven key battleground states, set to launch Tuesday in Philadelphia.
- Recent signs, like the first stop of her battleground state tour, point to Gov. Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, a crucial swing state both sides see as instrumental to a 2024 win, as the top contender.
- Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Govs. Tim Walz of Minnesota, Andy Beshear of Kentucky and JB Pritzker of Illinois are also finalists for the post.
What they're saying: Trump, in an interview on Fox News' "Sunday Morning Futures" with Maria Bartiromo that aired Sunday, argued that if Harris picks Shapiro, "she loses her little Palestinian base."
- Shapiro, who is Jewish, has faced particularly intense pushback for his views on Israel, despite them being similar to those of Harris' other VP candidates.
- The Democratic governor recently came under fire for an opinion piece he wrote in his campus newspaper over three decades ago, where he argued Palestinians are "too battle-minded" and "peace between Arabs and Israelis is virtually impossible and will never come."
- Speaking to reporters Friday, Shapiro noted his views have evolved since he was 20 and said he supports a two-state solution.
Zoom out: Trump and Vance, who also spoke with Bartiromo Sunday, both argued they don't care who Harris chooses.
- "I think whoever she chooses, the problem is going to be Kamala Harris' record and Kamala Harris' policies," Vance said, adding, "I don't really care who she chooses as a running mate."
Catch up quick: Those comments follow Trump's attempt to downplay the importance of vice presidential picks during his off-the-rails appearance last week at a conference for Black journalists.
- Trump said at the Wednesday convention — where he came under fire for falsely arguing Harris "happened to turn Black" — that it is "well documented, historically, the vice president, in terms of the election, does not have any impact" amid mounting concerns over his own No. 2 pick, who the party hoped would bolster support in key swing states.
- The former president's pick of Vance, who was once firmly anti-Trump, has stirred anxiety within the Republican party as Democrats have seized the opportunity to go on offense.
- Not only has he been targeted for his seeming flip-flop from Trump critic to ally, but unsurfaced comments about "childless" women sparked an avalanche of anger directed at Vance for what he views as traditional values toward women and family.
The big picture: A CBS/YouGov poll of registered voters released Sunday shows Harris and Trump are tied across collective battleground states.
- Before Biden left the race two weeks ago, Trump still held the lead by five points nationally, CBS reported.
- An election rematch has quickly — and dramatically — evolved with Harris now the presumptive Democratic nominee. And if Harris appears Tuesday with her VP choice as expected, yet another new player will enter the game.
Go deeper: Rival Democrats line up to tank Shapiro's veepstakes chance
