Kamala Harris VP pick and battleground tour coming next week

WASHINGTON — Kamala Harris will visit multiple battleground states with her future running-mate next week, according to the campaign, signaling that a decision on the presumptive 2024 Democratic presidential nominee's pick for vice president is near.

Harris and her running-mate will make stops in Philadelphia, western Wisconsin, Detroit, Raleigh, N.C., Savannah, Ga., Phoenix and Las Vegas, the campaign said.

The first stop on the four-day blitz will be Tuesday in Philadelphia, which could suggest Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro is the pick. Pennsylvania, with its 19 electoral votes, is critical to Harris' pathway to victory. But a campaign aide downplayed drawing any conclusions from the schedule.

Harris is aiming to name her running-mate before Aug. 7, the Democratic National Committee's self-imposed deadline to virtually confirm the party's presidential and vice presidential nominees ahead of the Democratic National Convention later in the month.

"Not yet," Harris, boarding Air Force Two for a campaign rally in Atlanta, told reporters Tuesday afternoon when asked if she has picked her running-mate.

Reuters first reported on next week's travel plans with Harris and her running-mate and said an announcement could come as early as Monday.

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In addition to Shapiro, other Democrats Harris is considering as her vice presidential nominee are Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker.

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper pulled his name out off the vice presidential contender list Monday. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a co-chair of the Harris campaign and another speculated pick, has said she plans to remain governor until the end of her term in 2026.

The most closely contested battlegrounds in the election are Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan, Arizona, Nevada, Georgia and North Carolina. A Bloomberg/Morning Consult poll released Tuesday found that Harris has wiped out Republican GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump's leads in each of the states, with Harris now leading in Michigan, Wisconsin, Arizona and Nevada.

Reach Joey Garrison on X, formerly Twitter, @joeygarrison.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kamala Harris VP pick and battleground tour coming next week