In her upcoming memoir, 107 Days, former Vice President Kamala Harris makes a candid and revealing admission about her selection of a running mate for the 2024 presidential election. She confirms that while she ultimately chose Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, her first choice was actually former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.
According to excerpts of the book published by The Atlantic, Harris explains that she believed Buttigieg would have been an “ideal partner” if she were a “straight white man,” praising his public service and ability to make liberal arguments accessible to conservatives.However, she concluded that the American electorate was not ready for a ticket featuring both a Black woman and a gay man.
She writes that she was “already asking a lot of America: to accept a woman, a Black woman, a Black woman married to a Jewish man.… It was too big of a risk.” Harris also states that she believes Buttigieg understood her reasoning, which led to a “mutual sadness.”
Buttigieg has since responded to the revelation, telling Politico he was “surprised” by her assessment and that he believes voters judge candidates on their ability to improve their lives, not on their identity.
This public discussion of the behind-the-scenes decision-making process for the 2024 campaign highlights the complex calculus of identity politics in American elections.
