Scoop: An inside look at Harris' Senate brain trust
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U.S Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Vice President Kamala Harris at the U.S. Capitol on December 5, 2023 in Washington, DC.
A small group of Senate Democrats has emerged as key partners and confidants to Vice President Harris and her campaign, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: The group includes Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), who's atop the list of lawmakers who would be critical governing partners for a Harris administration.
- Harris's team also is relying on longtime ally Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nevada), multiple Democratic sources told Axios. Their relationship dates back to when they served as attorneys general in neighboring states.
- Sens. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Laphonza Butler (D-Calif.) and Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) are also part of Harris' Senate brain trust.
The big picture: With Harris now at the top of the ticket, she and her team have sought to coordinate with Senate Democrats on everything from messaging discipline to campaign strategy, sources told Axios.
- Should Harris win, her relationships on Capitol Hill would be critical the success of Democrats' policy agenda.
Zoom in: Here's a closer look at the expertise Harris' Senate confidants bring to the table:
- Cortez Masto was part of the vetting team for Harris' running mate search, and her familiarity with swing-state Nevada could be an asset for the Harris camp.
- Schumer, who cut his Senate leadership teeth running Democrats' campaign arm, is one of the most shrewd political minds in the party. Making sure Senate Democratic campaigns and the top of the ticket are working in concert is a priority for both groups.
- Booker, Butler and Padilla are all personally close to Harris. Butler is a former Harris senior advisor, and Padilla took over the Senate seat Harris vacated when she became vice president.
Between the lines: Harris has relatively shallow roots on Capitol Hill, having served just four years in the Senate before leaving for the White House in 2021.
- She's got work to do to even begin to match the relationships President Biden built during his three-plus decades serving in the chamber.
- The Senate will likely remain closely divided in 2025, with Republicans favored to take back a majority.
- Whoever controls the chamber, Harris's relationship with Schumer — who shepherded massive pieces of Biden's agenda through the chamber in 2021 and 2022 — will be critical.
