Vice President Kamala Harris set to announce running mate
After interviewing finalists through the weekend, Vice President Kamala Harris is set to announce her running mate Tuesday morning.
Political analysts say it's no accident two of the six finalists are from the key states where the presidential race will be won.
The Cook Political Report considers Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin as battleground states.
The organization considers four other states as "lean Republican": Arizona, Nevada, North Carolina, and Georgia.
Since President Biden stepped aside and Vice President Harris became the presumptive Democratic nominee, the polls in some of these states have been trending back toward her direction and the margins have become closer.
The six finalists for the Democrats' vice-presidential nominee are Josh Shapiro, Governor of the battleground state of Pennsylvania and Mark Kelly, Senator of another key state, Arizona.
Four other finalists include Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, and Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker.
SMU Political Science Professor Matthew Wilson said while people haven't voted for vice-presidential candidates historically, they can help a presidential ticket win if they're from a key state.
That's why Wilson said he believes the two finalists from the key states have a leg up on the other finalists.
"That's why I think Shapiro is a strong choice because he hails from Pennsylvania," said Wilson. "Kelly is a strong choice because he hails from Arizona. The reality is the rest of the country we pretty well know which way it's going to go."
Wilson said former President Trump selected Ohio Senator JD Vance for similar reasons.
Even though Ohio is a solid red or Republican state, the Trump campaign is hoping his life story will appeal to others who live in rural areas of Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin.
After her announcement Tuesday, the Vice President and her new running mate will be visiting all of the key states for the rest of the week.
Vance and Trump are focusing on those same states.
