Kamala Harris has made a startling admission in her new memoir that could reshape understanding of the 2024 Democratic campaign strategy.
The former vice president reveals that Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg was actually her preferred choice for running mate, not Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN) who ultimately joined the ticket.
In “107 Days,” Harris writes that Walz was not her “first choice” for vice president.
This revelation contradicts the public enthusiasm she displayed for Walz in the days following his surprise announcement as her running mate.
The memoir disclosure suggests that the widely reported vice presidential selection process may have been more complex than initially understood.
Many political observers had speculated that the contest came down to Walz versus Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro.
Harris aides reportedly expressed concerns that selecting Shapiro could trigger negative reactions from pro-Palestinian progressive activists due to his Jewish background. However, Harris’s book indicates the real internal debate centered on a different candidate entirely.
According to the memoir, Buttigieg was presented with the opportunity to join the ticket.
The transportation secretary, who serves as the first openly gay member of a president’s cabinet, previously served as mayor of South Bend, Indiana.
Buttigieg had transformed his mayoral experience into a notable presidential campaign during the Democratic primaries.
His political profile had risen significantly since his days leading the Indiana city. However, both Harris and Buttigieg ultimately concluded that adding him to the ticket would present electoral challenges.
They determined that having a gay man join the first black woman’s general election campaign constituted “too big a risk” against Donald Trump and J.D. Vance.
Harris writes in her memoir that Buttigieg “would have been an ideal partner — if I were a straight white man.”
The former vice president elaborated on these concerns, stating they were “already asking a lot of America: to accept a woman, a Black woman, a Black woman married to a Jewish man.”
She acknowledged feeling conflicted about the decision.
Harris admits in the book that part of her wanted to proceed regardless of potential voter resistance.
“Part of me wanted to say, Screw it, let’s just do it,” she writes, but ultimately decided against it due to the high stakes involved.
The New York Post reported that the memoir reveals that both Harris and Buttigieg experienced disappointment over the decision.
“And I think Pete also knew that — to our mutual sadness,” Harris writes about their mutual understanding of the political realities.
Despite the strategic concerns that prevented his selection, Harris expresses continued admiration for Buttigieg in her memoir.
She describes him as “a sincere public servant with the rare talent of being able to frame liberal arguments in a way that makes it possible for conservatives to hear them.”
The personal relationship between Harris and Buttigieg appears to remain strong. “I love Pete,” Harris writes in the book. “I love working with Pete. He and his husband, Chasten, are friends.”
Recent polling data suggests Buttigieg’s political future remains bright despite missing the 2024 vice presidential opportunity.
Early surveys for the 2028 presidential contest show him performing competitively among potential Democratic candidates.
The Post highlighted that an Emerson College survey found Buttigieg leading a hypothetical Democratic primary with 16 percent support, edging out Harris at 13 percent.
Other potential candidates including Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA), Gov. Josh Shapiro (D-PA), and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) trailed further behind.
Buttigieg has indicated his interest in pursuing another presidential campaign.
The Post reported that earlier this year, he made clear that he is giving serious consideration to another White House run, setting up a potential rematch with Harris and other Democratic hopefuls.
