Election 2024 updates: Harris and Walz to campaign in battleground states Wednesday

Election 2024 updates: Harris and Walz to campaign in battleground states Wednesday
Election 2024 updates: Harris and Walz to campaign in battleground states Wednesday
Democratic Presidential candidate, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris delivers remarks during the Sigma Gamma Rho’s 60th International Biennial Boule at the George R. Brown Convention Center on July 31, 2024 in Houston, Texas. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

(WASHINGTON) — Vice President Kamala Harris secured enough Democratic Party delegate votes to become the party’s nominee, according to the Democratic National Committee. She announced Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate on Tuesday, with the two scheduled to embark on a seven-state trip to some of the biggest battleground states in the election, according to her campaign.

President Donald Trump and his vice presidential pick, Sen. JD Vance, are set to speak to voters through scheduled rallies and events throughout the week, too. Vance will also be visiting the same battleground states as Harris and her newly minted vice presidential pick.

Here’s how the news is developing:

Harris and Walz to hold rallies in Wisconsin, Michigan Wednesday

Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz are scheduled Wednesday to hold rallies in Wisconsin and Michigan, bringing their “vision for the future” to two battleground states on their first full day of campaigning together.

“Together, they will highlight the choice facing Blue Wall voters between the Trump-Vance agenda to weaken unions and give tax cuts to the wealthy on the backs of the middle class, and the Harris-Walz vision for the future, where everyone has the opportunity not just to get by, but to get ahead,” the Harris campaign said.

At their midday stop in Wisconsin, the pair will be joined by Gov. Tony Evers and Sen. Tammy Baldwin.

The pair will then travel to Wayne County Airport in Michigan for an evening rally, the campaign said. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan will join them, the campaign said.

“Their visits come on the heels of over a dozen labor endorsements, including last week’s endorsement from UAW — which represents more than 130,000 members in Michigan alone,” the campaign said.

JD Vance cancels North Carolina rallies due to Tropical Storm Debby

Sen. JD Vance will not be making appearances in North Carolina Thursday, due to the forecast of Tropical Storm Debby in the state, the Trump-Vance campaign said in a statement Tuesday.

Vance had two scheduled rallies in Raleigh and Oakboro.

“The Trump-Vance campaign will be rescheduling these events in North Carolina as soon as possible,” the campaign said.

Harris-Walz campaign says it raised over $20 million since running mate announcement

Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s campaign announcement has proven to be a fundraising success, according to a statement from the campaign Tuesday.

The Harris-Walz campaign says it has raised more than $20 million since this morning’s announcement of Walz joining Harris on the Democratic ticket in November.

Walz says he ‘can’t wait’ to debate JD Vance: ‘These guys are creepy’

Gov. Walz came out hard against former President Donald Trump and his running mate Sen. JD Vance during his first campaign rally speech as Harris’ vice presidential pick.

“Donald Trump’s not fighting for you or your family,” Walz said. He never sat at that kitchen table, like the one I grew up at, wondering how we were going to pay the bills. He sat at his country club in Mar a Lago wondering how he can cut taxes for his rich friends,” Walz added.

Turning his attention to Vance, Walz said, “His running mate shares his dangerous and backward agenda for this country.”

“I got to tell you, I can’t wait to debate the guy,” Walz continued, quipping, “That is, if he’s willing to get off the couch and show up.”

Calling out the Republican ticket, Walz added, “These guys are creepy. And yeah, it’s just weird as hell.”

Harris and Walz are officially the Democratic nominees: DNC

As Harris and Walz took the stage in Philadelphia, the Democratic National Committee announced they are officially the Democratic nominees for president and vice president.

“Vice President Harris and Governor Tim Walz officially accepted the nominations today, following the close of delegate voting on Monday, August 5th and the official certification of the roll call by Convention Secretary Jason Rae. Convention Chair Minyon Moore then certified Governor Walz as her running mate,” according to the statement from DNC Chair Jaime Harrison and DNCC Chair Minyon Moore.

Harris addressed the nomination at the campaign rally, saying, “I stand before you today to proudly announce I am now, officially, the Democratic nominee for president of the United States.”

Harris praises Walz’s background in politics and teaching: ‘Our values are the same’

During their first joint campaign rally, Vice President Kamala Harris introduced her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, and touted his progressive record as state governor, his background as a high school teacher and football coach and a U.S. military sergeant.

“Since the day that I announced my candidacy, I set out to find a partner who can help build this brighter future. A leader who will help unite our nation and move us forward. A fighter for the middle class. A patriot who believes as I do in the extraordinary promise of America,” Harris of her search for a VP pick.

“Tim is more than a governor. To his wife, Gwen, he is a husband. To his kids, Hope and Gus, he is a dad. To his fellow veterans, he is Sgt. Major Walz, to the people of Southern Minnesota for 12 years, he was congressman. To his former high school students, he was Mr. Walz. And to his former high school football players, he was coach,” Harris said.

“Coach Walz and I may hail from different corners of this great country,” Harris continued, “But our values are the same.”

Harris and Walz take the stage in Philadelphia in first joint campaign rally

Vice President Kamala Harris and her newly announced running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, were met with loud applause and cheers in Philadelphia as they made their first joint appearance.

That massive crowd gave Harris and Walz a long standing ovation as they took the stage to the song “Freedom” by Beyoncé.

Gov. Josh Shapiro speaks ahead of 1st joint Harris-Walz rally

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro has taken to the stage and is speaking in Philadelphia ahead of the first joint Harris-Walz rally.

Walz to tout his record, Harris’ strengths as prosecutor during campaign rally: Excerpts

Gov. Tim Walz will tout Vice President Kamala Harris’ history as a prosecutor, senator and vice president at their joint rally tonight in Philadelphia, according to excerpts from his speech that were released ahead of the event.

“She took on predators and fraudsters, took down transnational gangs, stood up against powerful corporate interests, she’s never hesitated to reach across the aisle if it meant improving people’s lives. And — she brings joy to everything she does,” the excepts read.

The governor is also expected to speak about his experiences from his days as a teacher to legislating as an elected official.

“These same values I learned on the family farm and tried to instill in my students, I took to Congress and the state capital, and now, Vice President Harris and I are running to take them to the White House,” the excerpts read.

“Donald Trump — he sees the world differently. He doesn’t know the first thing about service — because he’s too busy serving himself,” the excerpts read.

-ABC News’ Gabriella Abdul-Hakim

Walz, during vetting process, said he never used a teleprompter before: Source

Tim Walz said during the VP vetting process that he had never used a teleprompter before, according to source familiar.

The governor practiced using one before his remarks tonight to be comfortable using it during the joint rally with Kamala Harris in Philadelphia, according to the source.

CNN first reported the teleprompter detail.

-ABC News’ Selina Wang

Walz arrives in Philadelphia: ‘Hello Philly!’

Minnesota Gov. Tim Waz has arrived in Philadelphia ahead of his rally tonight with Vice President Kamala Harris.

He posted a video to X and wrote, “Hello Philly!”

-ABC News’ Will McDuffie, Gabriella Abdul-Hakim, Fritz Farrow and Isabella Murray

Harris campaign says it raised more than $10M since Walz announcement

The Harris-Walz ticket has raised more than $10 million since this morning’s reveal of Tim Walz as the vice president’s running mate, the campaign said in a release, making it “one of the campaign’s best fundraising days this cycle.”

Lauren Hitt, a spokeswoman, added that Pennsylvania’s top elected officials will join the pair at their Philadelphia rally tonight.

Sens. John Fetterman and Bob Casey are expected to speak, as is Gov. Josh Shapiro, who had been one of the contenders to be Harris’ running mate.

-ABC News’ Will McDuffie, Gabriella Abdul-Hakim and Fritz Farrow

DNC calls Walz the ‘presumptive nominee for vice president’

The Democratic National Committee, in a post on X, called Tim Walz the “presumptive nominee for Vice President.”

“Kamala Harris has selected Governor Tim Walz to be the presumptive Democratic nominee for vice president of the United States,” the party wrote, with a graphic of it’s “official Democratic ticket.”

-ABC News’ Oren Oppenheim, Isabella Murray and Brittany Shepherd

Harris releases video of phone call with Walz

Vice President Kamala Harris released a video showing her speaking with Gov. Tim Walz about being her running mate.

Harris is seen speaking on a cellphone with Walz, who is dressed in a T-shirt, khakis and a camouflage-colored baseball cap, alerting him that he would be her pick.

“The joy that you’re bringing back to the country, the enthusiasm that’s out there it will be a privilege to take this with you across the country,” Walz says in the video.
 

Bill Clinton: ‘Tim Walz has walked the walk’

Former President Bill Clinton praised Gov. Tim Walz’s record on Tuesday afternoon.

“Kamala Harris made a terrific choice with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. His resume speaks for itself,” he said in a statement posted on X.

“Tim Walz has walked the walk, and he’ll be a great vice president,” Clinton added.

Harris’ VP decision ‘stark contrast to Donald Trump’s choice’, Jeffries says

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries released a statement Tuesday praising Gov. Tim Walz after he was picked by Vice President Kamala Harris as her running mate, commending his years of work as a National Guardsman, teacher, House member and governor.

“Throughout his years of public service, including as the top Democrat on the Veterans’ Affairs Committee, Tim has been a consistent champion on the issues that matter most for everyday Americans,” Jeffries, D-N.Y., said.

“Vice President Harris’ decision is a stark contrast to Donald Trump’s choice,” Jeffries added.

-ABC News’ Lauren Peller

Vance says he wants to debate Walz after he is officially VP nominee

When asked if he’s willing to debate Gov. Tim Walz, Sen. JD Vance said he wants to but is going to wait until Walz is the official vice presidential nominee.

“I absolutely want to debate Tim Walz, but I want to debate him, actually, after he’s actually officially the nominee, and I did call him and congratulate him and offered him my best wishes. I think that’s the polite thing to do,” he said.

-ABC News’ Soo Rin Kim, Hannah Demissie, Lalee Ibssa and Kelsey Walsh

Clyburn says Walz will be a ‘strong partner’ for Harris

Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., said in a statement that Gov. Tim Walz has “unparalleled experience” and will be a “strong partner for Kamala Harris.”

“My former House colleague [Tim Walz] will be a strong partner for [Kamala Harris],” he wrote on X.

“As a Governor, veteran, and former public school teacher, his unparalleled experience informs a deep understanding of the issues that matter most to the American people.”

“I look forward to working with this outstanding team toward victory in November,” he added.

-ABC News’ Lauren Peller

Manchin says Walz ‘will bring normality back to the most chaotic political environment’

West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin wrote in a statement on X that “I can think of no one better than Governor Walz to help bring our country closer together and bring balance back to the Democratic Party.”

“My friend Governor Tim Walz will bring normality back to the most chaotic political environment that most of us have ever seen,” he said, in part, also calling him “the real deal.”

-ABC News’ Lauren Peller

RFK Jr. criticizes Walz as VP pick

Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. wrote on X that Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz being picked as Harris’ running mate means that “America’s political divide sharpens.”

“He called Trump supporters ‘fascist’ and ‘weird,’ and they in turn are calling him worse than that,” he said.

-ABC News’ Oren Oppenheim

Walz ‘going to bring something else to this ticket in a big way,’ Klobuchar says

Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar spoke to ABC News Live about her reaction Gov. Tim Walz being selected as Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate.

The senator called Walz a “close friend,” and said Harris chose the governor for several major reasons.

“She had someone in Tim Walz that one, she trusted, [and] two, she saw as someone that is going to bring something else to this ticket in a big way,” Klobuchar said.

The Minnesota senator, who describes Tim Walz as a “close friend,” gave her thoughts on Vice President Kamala Harris picking the Minnesota governor as her running mate.

The senator said Walz’s experiences as a veteran, teacher, Congress member and governor help the ticket.

“I just like Tim Walz. He is a good leader, he has shown he can get things done across the aisle,” she said.

When asked about the criticism Walz received over his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, Klobuchar said, “We came out of it strong.”

Klobuchar also addressed the criticism Walz received over the 2020 George Floyd protests, reiterating that the governor embraced peaceful protests but called in the National Guard when they got violent.

“I would like to add, he was someone when the ‘defund the police’ ballot measure was on the ballot in the city of Minneapolis, both of us strongly opposed the measure. He added funding for the police,” she said. “You will see someone who has actually stood with law enforcement and made some tough decisions.”

Vance says he left Walz a voicemail, claims Harris’ pick highlights how ‘radical’ she is

Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance responded to the news of Gov. Tim Walz being tapped as Kamala Harris’ running mate, claiming the decision highlights how “radical” Harris is.

“Obviously, the big news of the day is that Tim Walz has been nominated as the VP or is now the presumptive nominee, I should say, for Kamala Harris … My view on it is it just highlights how radical Kamala Harris is,” Vance said.

Vice presidential candidate JD Vance spoke to reporters in Philadelphia about Kamala Harris’ choice for running mate.

When asked by ABC News’ Hannah Demissie if he had been in contact with Walz, Vance said he called Walz but the governor didn’t answer, so he left a voicemail.

“I didn’t get him, but I just said, ‘Look, congratulations. Look forward to a robust conversation and enjoy the ride,’ And maybe he’ll call me back, maybe he won’t,” Vance said.

-ABC News Lalee Ibssa

Biden spoke with Harris, Walz separately today, White House says

President Joe Biden spoke with Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday morning before she announced that Gov. Tim Walz would be her running mate, the White House said in a statement.

“The President also spoke with Governor Walz to congratulate him on his selection,” White House Senior Deputy Press Secretary Emilie Simons said in a statement.

-ABC News’ Justin Gomez

Harris told Walz they are ‘underdogs’ but is confident they have winning message: Source

Vice President Kamala Harris told Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz in a phone call this morning that they are the “underdogs” in this race, but she’s confident that together they have a winning message on reducing costs for the middle class and protecting freedom, a source close to the process told ABC News.

The source added that chemistry was a big piece of Harris’ decision to select Walz.

Harris notified her team this morning that she wanted to inform Walz and the other candidates, the source said, adding that the final decision and execution was done Tuesday morning.

-ABC News’ Selina Wang

Obama praises Tim Walz as VP pick

Former President Barack Obama released a lengthy statement on X congratulating Gov. Tim Walz for being selected as Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate.

“[Tim Walz] believes that government works to serve us. Not just some of us, but all of us. That’s what makes him an outstanding governor, and that’s what will make him an even better vice president,” he wrote.

“By selecting Tim Walz to be her vice president from a pool of outstanding Democrats, Kamala Harris has chosen an ideal partner — and made it clear exactly what she stands for,” Obama said.

Pete Buttigieg praises Tim Walz as VP pick

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who was considered as a potential Harris running mate, praised Tim Walz in a statement posted on X, calling him an “effective governor — and also great to work with.”

“I’m excited for what his Midwestern voice, military experience, and common-sense values will bring to our winning ticket, and for everything the Harris-Walz administration will deliver for Americans,” he said.

-ABC News’ Tommy Barone

Gov. Andy Beshear throws full support behind Harris-Walz ticket

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, who was also a vice presidential contender, said it was an honor to be considered for the 2024 ticket but threw his full support behind his “great friend” Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.

“I fully support this new ticket and will work to elect [Kamala Harris] as our next President of the United States,” Beshear said in a statement on X.

-ABC News’ Minnie Noah

Minnesota senators react to Walz as VP pick

Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar wrote on X that Walz has been an “incredible leader.”

“Minnesota is known as the land of Vice Presidents, and we’ve got another great one on the way! As a veteran, a high school teacher and football coach, and our Minnesota Governor, Tim Walz has been an incredible leader (and on top of that, a good friend). Let’s go win this!” Klobuchar wrote.

Minnesota Sen. Tina Smith posted a photo of her and Walz eating donuts together, writing: “DONUT count Minnesota out. Congratulations, Governor Walz!”

-ABC News’ Lauren Peller

Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly reacts to Harris-Walz ticket

Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, who made the veepstakes short list, wrote on X that Vice President Kamala Harris and Gov. Tim Walz “are going to move us forward.”

“They’re already building a campaign to unite our country — and [Gabby Giffords] and I are ready to do everything we can to help them win.”

-ABC News’ Tommy Barone

Walz says it’s ‘the honor of a lifetime’: ‘I’m all in’

Gov. Tim Walz posted on X on Tuesday, saying he’s “all in” on his new role as Harris’ VP pick.

“It is the honor of a lifetime to join [Kamala Harris] in this campaign. I’m all in. Vice President Harris is showing us the politics of what’s possible. It reminds me a bit of the first day of school. So, let’s get this done, folks! Join us,” he wrote, also linking to a donation page.

-ABC News’ Brittany L. Shepherd and Fritz Farrow

Shapiro expresses support for Harris-Walz ticket

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro posted on X about Vice President Harris’ choice of Tim Walz as a running mate, saying it was “a deeply personal decision for the Vice President — and a deeply personal decision for me.”

“Pennsylvanians elected me to a four-year term as their Governor, and my work here is far from finished — there is a lot more stuff I want to get done for the good people of this Commonwealth,” he wrote, in part, in a statement.

“Over the next 90 days, I look forward to traveling all across the Commonwealth to unite Pennsylvanians behind my friends Kamala Harris and Tim Walz and defeat Donald Trump,” he said. “See you tonig

Harris announces Walz as VP pick on Instagram

Vice President Kamala Harris took to Instagram to announce Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her vice presidential running mate. Her X page was also updated with a new social wrap that highlights her vice presidential pick, along with a new poster that features the two.

“I am proud to announce that I’ve asked [Gov. Tim Walz] to be my running mate,” Harris wrote on Instagram.

“One of the things that stood out to me about Tim is how his convictions on fighting for middle class families run deep. It’s personal,” she continued.

“He grew up in a small town in Nebraska, spending summers working on his family’s farm. His father died of cancer when he was 19, and his family relied on Social Security survivor benefit checks to make ends meet. At 17, he enlisted in the National Guard, serving for 24 years. He used his GI Bill benefits to go to college, and become a teacher. He served as both the football coach and the advisor of the Gay-Straight Alliance,” Harris wrote.

“I share this background both because it’s impressive in its own right, and because you see in no uncertain terms how it informs his record. He worked with Republicans to pass infrastructure investments. He cut taxes for working families. He passed a law to provide paid family and medical leave to Minnesotan families,” she continued. “He made Minnesota the first state in the country to pass a law providing constitutional abortion protections after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, and as an avid hunter, he passed a bill requiring universal background checks for gun purchases.”

“But what impressed me most about Tim is his deep commitment to his family: Gwen, Gus, and Hope. Doug and I look forward to working with him and Gwen to build an administration that reflects our shared values,” she said.

-ABC News’ Gabriella Abdul-Hakim, Fritz Farrow and Will McDuffie

Trump campaign fundraising email from JD Vance says ‘I will wipe the floor with Tim Walz’

The Trump campaign sent a fundraising email from Sen. JD Vance on Tuesday with the subject line, “I will wipe the floor with Tim Walz.”

“I have three words for Tim Walz: Bring. It. On,” the fundraising email says.

-ABC News’ Lalee Ibssa

Josh Shapiro to attend Harris rally in Philadelphia tonight

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro will attend tonight’s rally in Philadelphia and “will do everything he can” to support the Harris-Walz ticket, someone familiar with the campaign’s thinking told ABC News.

-ABC News’ Will McDuffie

Rep. Dean Phillips, Biden primary opponent, said he’s ‘thrilled’ by Walz news

Minnesota Rep. Dean Phillips, who was one of President Joe Biden’s few primary challengers this cycle, said in a post on X on Tuesday morning that he was “thrilled” by the reports that his “friend” Tim Walz would be Kamala Harris’ VP pick.

“I’m thrilled by reports that my friend and governor will be America’s next Vice President,” Phillips posted, along with a photo of them together.

“Tim is a common-sense, competent and experienced leader whose refreshing normal-ness will be a great contrast to the tiresome weirdness. Let’s go!” he wrote.

Walz and Phillips never served in the House of Representatives together. Walz left his 1st Congressional District seat in 2019, when Phillips was coming in to serve the 3rd District.

Phillips has endorsed Harris’ White House bid.

-ABC News’ Isabella Murray

Rep. Ilhan Omar congratulates Walz

Progressive Minnesota Democrat Rep. Ilhan Omar congratulated her state’s governor on Tuesday.

“Our North Star state Governor has signed universal school meals, paid family and sick leave, marijuana legalization, and protections for reproductive rights into law,” she wrote on X, also sharing a photo of the two.

-ABC News’ Lauren Peller

Pelosi applauds Walz, but says ‘to characterize him as left is so unreal’

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi reacted on “Morning Joe” to the news that Vice President Kamala Harris is poised to pick Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate, saying: “Tim Walz is wonderful, and she had many good choices.”

“Tim Walz, I know very well. He served in the House. To characterize him as left is so unreal. It’s just not — he’s right down the middle. He is a heartland of America Democrat. He was the chair of our Veterans’ Affairs Committee, and I don’t want anybody to forget that — he made tremendous, tremendous gains for our veterans,” Pelosi said.

“We made more progress that has ever been made in the history of our country since the GI Bill under his leadership,” she continued.

Pelosi complimented his background and credentials, including serving in the National Guard.

“So, he brings the security credential. He brings the rural credential. And he will do in rural America,” Pelosi said.

“So it’s really mystifying to me to see someone that I worked with, shall we say, right down the middle characterized on the left in his regard. He has [Harris’] confidence obviously,” she added.

“[Walz] has a great vision for our country. It is about working-class families, about rural America, about our veterans. He has won for governor two times in Minnesota,” Pelosi added.

-ABC News’ Lauren Peller

Minnesota Rep. Betty McCollum calls Walz a ‘rock-solid Democrat’

Rep. Betty McCollum, D-Minn., praised Gov. Tim Walz on Tuesday, calling him a “rock-solid Democrat.”

“Tim Walz is my friend and a former colleague whose Midwest values are rooted in selfless service to our nation, caring for his neighbors, and inspiring students, soldiers and citizens to stand together, dream bigger and never give up,” she said in a statement, reacting to the news that Vice President Kamala Harris is poised to pick the Minnesota governor as her running mate.

“Tim is a rock-solid Democrat, a teacher, a football coach, a veteran and a leader who will defend our freedoms and will work to improve the lives of all Americans in every corner of our country,” she said.

-ABC News’ John Parkinson

Trump reacts to news Harris is poised to pick Tim Walz

Donald Trump on Tuesday reacted to the news that Vice President Kamala Harris is poised to pick Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate.

Trump, in a campaign email, claimed Walz “would be the worst VP in history” and said the governor was “even worse” than Harris.

The pro-Trump super PAC MAGA Inc., a separate entity from the Trump campaign, also released a statement, claiming Walz and Harris are “both far-left radicals that don’t know how to govern.”

-ABC News’ Rick Klein, Soorin Kim, Lalee Ibssa and Kelsey Walsh

Majority Whip Tom Emmer, a Republican, reacts to Walz poised to be Harris’ VP pick

House Majority Whip Tom Emmer of Minnesota, a Republican, criticized Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who is poised to be Harris’ pick for vice president.

In a post on X, Emmer said, “It’s not surprising @KamalaHarris picked Tim Walz to be her running mate — he embodies the same disastrous economic, open-borders, and soft-on-crime policies Harris has inflicted on our country the last four years.”

-ABC News’ Lauren Peller

Harris poised to pick Tim Walz as vice presidential running mate

Vice President Kamala Harris is poised to pick Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her vice presidential running mate to help her challenge Donald Trump and JD Vance in November.

Harris grows Pennsylvania volunteers

Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign is touting its robust ground game in Pennsylvania, saying it’s taking “nothing for granted” in the state, ahead of her running mate reveal, which is expected on Tuesday.

About 33,000 people signed up to volunteer for the campaign in Pennsylvania in the last 15 days, according to a campaign memo. The campaign boasts nearly 300 staffers across three dozen offices in the state, the memo said.

The campaign also said it was “doing the work to make inroads in historically-safe Republican areas.”

The campaign sought to contrast Harris’ record with former President Donald Trump’s, citing the vice president’s time as a prosecutor and saying she “is committed to keeping our communities safe and locking up dangerous crooks, criminals, and predators.”

“With only three months until Election Day, Trump’s campaign still lags far behind in the infrastructure needed to win with just three offices in Pennsylvania,” the Harris campaign memo said. “He’s shown he doesn’t want these voters.”

Kamala Harris earns majority of Democratic roll call votes

Vice President Kamala Harris has officially gotten the vast majority of delegate votes in the virtual roll call that nominates her as the Democratic presidential nominee, the Democratic National Committee said in a statement released late Monday.

The roll call, which concluded on Monday evening, still needs to be certified by Convention Secretary Jason Rae, according to the statement, but the announcement makes Harris’s historic nomination effectively official.

Sens. Sanders, Warren join Progressives for Harris Call: ‘We have to beat Trump in November’

On a three-hour organizing call with over 100,000 attendees, numerous high-profile progressive democrats came out to support Vice President Kamala’s Harris’ presidential bid.

Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, Reps. Joaquin Castro, Ro Khanna, Ilhan Omar and Jamie Raskin and UAW President Shawn Fain all showed up as well as members of the uncommitted movement who had not yet endorsed Harris but strongly hope she’ll win them over in the next few months.

“The energy and the momentum in this election is on our side. And I am so inspired by the organizing in support of Vice President Harris, starting with the win with black women that mobilized a massive zoom call. And now here tonight, we have progressives coming together,” Warren said on the call.

Sanders, who has not officially said he endorses Harris — although he has encouraged voters to go out and support the candidate — told attendees that “Trump must be defeated” and Harris “must be elected.” He noted that it’s “imperative that Democrats gain control over the House and the Senate.”

“And we in the progressive movement must do all that we can to make that happen,” he added.

“I don’t know if I can add to what has already been said tonight, but my message is pretty clear, and that is all of us together must do everything that we can to defeat Donald Trump and elect Kamala Harris as our next president,” said Sanders.

Harris campaign selling yard signs without revealing running mate’s name

Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign is promoting pre-orders for a campaign yard sign with a mockup image featuring her last name and tape and question marks over where her yet-to-be-announced running mate’s last name would be.

“Be one of the first to proudly display your support for Kamala Harris and her running mate,” the campaign said on its website.

JD Vance to also give remarks in same states as Harris this week

Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance is scheduled to give remarks in the same states on the same days as Vice President Kamala Harris this week, the Trump-Vance campaign announced, as Harris embarks on a battleground state tour.

Vance is scheduled to speak at noon ET in Philadelphia on Tuesday. The event comes as Harris is set to hold a rally with her yet-to-be-announced running mate Tuesday night in the city.

On Wednesday, he is scheduled to deliver remarks in the Detroit suburb of Shelby Township, Michigan, and Eau Claire, Wisconsin, as Harris also campaigns in those states then.

Then on Thursday, he is set to speak in Raleigh and Oakboro in North Carolina, aligning with Harris’ scheduled visit to the state.

-ABC News’ Hannah Demissie

Bon Iver to campaign with Harris in Wisconsin

Bon Iver will join Harris and her running mate on Wednesday in Eau Claire, Wisconsin — where the Grammy-winning indie folk band was founded — for a “special performance” as part of the campaign’s battleground state tour, the Harris campaign announced on Monday.

-ABC News’ Gabriella Abdul-Hakim, Fritz Farrow, Will McDuffie and Isabella Murray

Harris still deliberating on VP pick: Source

At this moment, Vice President Harris has not decided on a running mate and is still deliberating, according to a source.

More than 10K people expected at Harris’ Philly rally: Source

More than 10,000 people are expected to attend Harris’ rally Tuesday night in Philadelphia, where she’ll be joined by her new running mate, according to a source familiar with the plans.

That would make this the biggest event yet for the Harris campaign.

Harris is looking to build off her momentum. Pennsylvania kicks off her swing through seven battleground states in five days.

The pace of her campaign is in stark contrast to Trump’s, which has only one rally scheduled this week — in Montana on Friday.

Usha Vance says husband’s ‘childless cat ladies’ comment was a ‘quip’

In her first interview since her husband was named former President Donald Trump’s running mate, Usha Vance sat down with Fox & Friends where she discussed her husband’s “childless cat ladies” comment that has gained attention recently — calling it a “quip.”

“The reality is, JD made a quote – I mean, he made a quip, and he made a quip in service of making a point that he wanted to make that was substantive,” Usha Vance said of the comments her husband made in 2021. “And I just wish sometimes that people would talk about those things and that we would spend a lot less time just sort of going through this three-word phrase or that three-word phrase.”

She continued, “What he was really saying is that it can be really hard to be a parent in this country, and sometimes our policies are designed in a way that make it even harder.”

She added that her husband “would never ever ever want to say something to hurt someone who was trying to have a family who really was struggling with that.”

JD Vance has called the comments “sarcastic.”

“Let’s try to look at the real conversation that he’s trying to have and engage with it and understand for those of us who do have families, for the many of us who want to have families, and for whom it’s really hard,” Usha Vance said on Monday. “What can we do to make it better? What can we do to make it easier to live in 2024?”

-ABC News’ Kelsey Walsh, Hannah Demissie, Lalee Ibssa and Soorin Kim

Pelosi says she spoke with Biden ahead of his withdrawal ‘asking for a campaign that would win’

Former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, in an interview with Good Morning America anchor George Stephanopolous on Monday morning, said that she spoke with President Joe Biden ahead of his withdrawal from the 2024 presidential race “asking for a campaign that would win.” She also said Biden was “the only person that I spoke to” about Biden possibly withdrawing.

“The only person that I spoke to about this was the president. Other people called me about what their views were about it, and — but I rarely even returned a call, much less initiated one,” Pelosi said.

Later, she added, “I wasn’t asking him to step down. I was asking for a campaign that would win, and I wasn’t seeing that on the horizon.”

-ABC News’ Oren Openheim

Harris VP pick ‘most important’ decision, Pelosi says

Vice President Kamala Harris’ choice for her running mate is a the “most important” decision she has to make as her campaign gets started, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said.

All of her choices appear to be good, Pelosi added.

“It’s a difficult decision because they are all so great,” she told ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos on Good Morning America on Monday. “It is the most important decision for her to make. Not just about who can help win, but who can help serve and lead and whose confidence she trusts.”

Harris and to-be-announced running mate to launch seven-state tour Tuesday

Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, who is yet to be named, will go on tour, hitting seven battleground states in five days, the Harris campaign said Monday.

The tour will be an effort to “introduce the new Democratic ticket” and “speak directly with voters in their communities and cement the contrast between our ticket and Trump’s,” campaign said.

The tour, which kicks off Tuesday in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, will feature rallies in cities and stops at college campuses, including HBCUs, union halls, family-owned restaurants and their field offices, the campaign said.

The tour will continue through Eau Claire, Wisconsin; Detroit, Michigan; Durham, North Carolina; Savannah, Georgia; Phoenix, Arizona; and Las Vegas, Nevada, the campaign said.

Harris interviewing top VP contenders today at her residence: Source

Vice President Harris is meeting with top running mate candidates Sunday at her residence at the Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C., according to a source familiar with the matter.

Harris is meeting with at least three leading contenders — Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, according to the source.

The meetings were earlier reported by The New York Times.

Sen. JD Vance says he wears VP pick criticism as a ‘badge of honor’

In a Fox News interview Sunday, Sen. JD Vance responded to criticism of him being picked as former President Donald Trump’s running mate, saying he takes it as a “badge of honor.”

“All I can do is go out there and prosecute the case against Kamala Harris to remind people that things were more prosperous and more peaceful when Donald Trump was president,” Vance said. “Look, I recognize there are a lot of folks even in the GOP establishment and certainly on the far left who don’t like the fact that Donald Trump picked me, I actually take their criticism as a badge of honor.”

Vance also hit back at Democrats who’ve called him “weird,” calling it “a lot of projection.”

“They can call me whatever they want to. The middle school taunts don’t bother me,” he said. “What offends me is what Kamala Harris has done to this country over three and a half years.”

Harris campaign launches ‘Republicans for Harris’ outreach program

Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign announced Sunday that it would be launching a “Republicans for Harris” program aimed at reaching Republican voters who could be convinced to vote for Harris. The program will include digital advertising, phone banking, events and other initiatives, according to the campaign.

The program — and Harris herself — have been endorsed by a number of Republican figures, including former Trump White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham.

“I might not agree with Vice President Kamala Harris on everything, but I know that she will fight for our freedom, protect our democracy, and represent America with honor and dignity on the world stage,” Grisham wrote in a statement released by the Harris campaign.

The “Republicans for Harris” program will hold kickoff events starting this week, per the campaign.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

‘We are the underdogs’: Harris introduces her running mate Tim Walz to fired-up Philadelphia crowd

‘We are the underdogs’: Harris introduces her running mate Tim Walz to fired-up Philadelphia crowd
‘We are the underdogs’: Harris introduces her running mate Tim Walz to fired-up Philadelphia crowd
Democratic presidential candidate, Vice President Kamala Harris and Democratic vice presidential candidate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz appear on stage together during a campaign event at Girard College, on Aug. 6, 2024, in Philadelphia. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

(PHILADELPHIA) — Vice President Kamala Harris and her newly announced presidential campaign running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, took the stage to a roaring crowd in Philadelphia Tuesday in their first joint public appearance where, together, they took aim at what they called Trump’s “backward agenda” for America.

Hundreds of supporters waited in lines outside the Liacouras Center at Temple University, which has a capacity of 10,000 people, for the event and packed the arena.

That crowd gave Walz and Harris a lengthy standing ovation as they took the stage to the song “Freedom” by Beyoncé.

Walz and Harris hit the stage touting an agenda of unifying the country, working for all Americans, and sharing their vision in comparison to the conservative policies being pushed by former President Donald Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance.

“We need to level set; we are the underdogs in this race, but we have the momentum, and I know exactly what we are up against,” she said.

Harris said her campaign is not just a fight against Trump but a “fight for the future.”

Harris talked up Walz to the crowd and told them about her decision to choose the Minnesota governor as her running mate.

“Since the day that I announced my candidacy, I set out to find a partner who can help build this brighter future,” she said. “So, Pennsylvania, I’m here today because I found such a leader.”

The vice president focused on Walz’s time as a high school teacher and football coach as she introduced him to supporters, repeatedly referring to him as “Coach Walz,” which prompted the crowd to repeat that title.

“The nation will know Coach Walz by another name, vice president of the United States,” she said.

Harris spoke about how Walz, while working as a teacher and coach, became a faculty advisor for his school’s student LGTBQ group and how his care for others has been a hallmark of his time in office.

The vice president reiterated that she and Walz are committed to protecting women’s reproductive rights and restoring rights that were taken away after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.

“With Tim Walz by my side when I am president of the United States, [and] we win majorities in the United States Congress, we will pass a bill to restore reproductive freedom, and I will proudly sign it into law,” she said.

Harris noted that she and Walz “may hail from different corners of our great country, but our values are the same, and we both believe in lifting people up, not knocking them down.”

“When we look at folks, we see in our fellow Americans neighbors, not enemies,” she said.

Walz touted Harris’ experience as a prosecutor, senator and vice president during his speech. stating that she “fought on the side of the American people.”

“She took on predators and fraudsters, took down transnational gangs, stood up against powerful corporate interests, she’s never hesitated to reach across the aisle if it meant improving people’s lives. And — she brings joy to everything she does,” he said.

The governor spoke highly about his time as a teacher and how that pushed him to run for office.

“It was my students. They encouraged me to run for office. They saw in me what I was hoping to instill in them – a commitment of common good, a belief that one person can make a difference,” he said.

“These same values I learned on the family farm and tried to instill in my students, I took to Congress and the state capital, and now, Vice President Harris and I are running to take them to the White House,” he added.

Walz took several shots at Trump, contending the former president’s policies while in office hurt Americans.

“He drove our economy into the ground. And make no mistake, violent crime was up under Donald Trump. That’s not even counting the crimes he committed,” he said.

“He never sat at that kitchen table, like the one I grew up at, wondering how we were going to pay the bills. He sat at his country club in Mar-a-Lago wondering how he can cut taxes for his rich friends,” Walz said.

Walz also took a few jabs at his opponent JD Vance, noting that the senator shares Trump’s “dangerous and backward agenda for this country.”

The governor contended that despite Vance’s talk about his rural upbringing, his career was funded by “Silicon Valley billionaires.”

“I got to tell you, I can’t wait to debate the guy, that is if he’s willing to get off the couch and show up,” Walz said.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, who was in the running for the vice presidential spot on the ticket before Walz was chosen, received a huge standing ovation from the crowd as he took the stage before Walz and Harris spoke.

“I want you to know I am going to continue to pour my heart and soul into serving you as your governor,” he told the crowd.

He also touted Harris’ record, contending she is “battle-tested and ready to go.”

Shapiro went on to criticize Trump for his role in dismantling reproductive rights and warned that if the former president is re-elected, more restrictions could come.

“Let me tell you something: I am not going back,” he said to the crowd.

Shapiro also lauded Walz, calling him a “great patriot” and “dear friend.”

“I think it is fitting and special for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz to launch their campaign here in Philly, the city of brotherly love, and importantly, they chose to launch their campaign right here in the birthplace of real freedom,” he said.

Walz, during his speech, praised Shapiro as a “visionary leader” and a “guy who cares deeply about his family, a man with compassion [and] vision.”

“There is no one you would rather go to a Springsteen concert in Jersey with than him,” Walz said as the audience shouted, “Bruce.”

The rally ended with the candidates’ spouses, second gentleman Doug Emoff and Minnesota first lady Gwen, taking the stage and waving to the cheering crowd.

Tuesday’s Harris-Walz event kicks off a five-day campaign road trip that will visit seven crucial swing states.

The vice president and Walz are scheduled to visit Eau Claire, Wisconsin; Detroit, Michigan; Durham, North Carolina; Savannah, Georgia; Phoenix, Arizona; and Las Vegas this week.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Western wildfire season continues with a vengeance as new blaze destroys homes in Southern California

Western wildfire season continues with a vengeance as new blaze destroys homes in Southern California
Western wildfire season continues with a vengeance as new blaze destroys homes in Southern California
Brais Seara/Getty Images

(NEW YORK) — The U.S. wildfire season is continuing on a relentless pace across the West as a new blaze erupted in Southern California, destroying multiple homes and leaving residents little time to evacuate, authorities said.

The Edgehill Fire erupted Monday afternoon in the Little Mountain community and quickly tore up a hillside, destroying at least a half-dozen homes, according to fire officials.

“We were so grateful for this house and I can’t believe it’s gone,” Erika Hernandez, whose home was burned to the ground, told ABC Los Angeles station KABC-TV.

The Edgehill Fire is the latest in a California wildfire season that has already burned nearly 800,000 acres and destroyed more than 1,000 structures, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire).

Wildfires have burned more than 4.6 million acres across the United States, including 200,000 acres in just the first five days of August, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.

On Tuesday, nearly 30,000 firefighters were battling 89 large active wildfires across California, Oregon and other Western states.

Capt. Andrew Bonhus said the Edgehill Fire was an example of how fast fires in the West, fueled by an abundance of dried-out vegetation and extremely high temperatures, have spread this year.

“This fire specifically moved extremely rapidly compared to others … on this hilltop,” Bonhus told ABC News.

The Edgehill Fire, east of Los Angeles, was initially reported around 2:30 p.m. local time as a five-acre blaze. But within three hours, the fire ballooned to more than 50 acres, catching multiple homes on fire as it crested a hillside, leaving residents with just minutes to evacuate, officials said.

At least 200 firefighters from several agencies, including firefighting helicopter crews, raced to put out the flames, officials said.

“We didn’t even start at the base of the fire. We go straight for the houses and start evacuations and start getting lines out to help protect structures and, most importantly, life,” Bonhus said.

Around 5:45 p.m. local time, the San Bernardino County Fire Department announced that the fire’s forward progress was stopped and that 25% of the blaze was contained.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Fortunately, according to Bonhus, many residents in the area had taken steps to create “defensible space” around their homes by clearing dry bush, trees and other potential hazards that can fuel a wildfire.

“Because of the defensible space around the houses, some were savable, some were not,” Bonhus said. “It kind of pushes home how critical having defensible space around your homes is.”

The Park Fire

In Northern California, firefighters continued to battle to Park Fire, which was started by an alleged arsonist on July 24 and as of Tuesday had burned 414,042 acres of wildland in Butte, Plumas, Shasta and Tehama counties, according to Cal Fire. The fire has destroyed 640 structures, including homes and businesses.

The blaze, the largest in the United States this year and the fourth biggest in California history, was 34% contained on Tuesday.

The Nixon Fire

Another large Southern California blaze, dubbed the Nixon Fire, which started on July 29, was 96% contained on Tuesday after burning 5,222 acres near the Riverside County town of Aguanga, according to Cal Fire.

At least 23 structures, including homes and businesses, were destroyed by the Nixon Fire and another three structures were damaged, according to Cal Fire.

Investigators determined the Nixon Fire was sparked by a privately owned electrical panel that caught fire. The agency did not say who owns the electrical panel or specify whether negligence is suspected.

Durkee Fire in Eastern Oregon

More than 1 million acres of wildland have burned in Oregon this year, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. Oregon has seen some of the biggest fires in the nation, including the Durkee Fire in the eastern part of the state that had burned 294,265 acres as of Tuesday, according to the fire center.

The blaze, which started July 17, was 86% contained on Tuesday and state fire officials said they expected to have it completely extinguished by the end of this week.

Alexander Mountain Fire

Colorado firefighters are also getting the upper hand on the Alexander Mountain Fire, which was first reported on July 29, according to the U.S. Forest Service. The fire burning west of the city of Loveland in a remote mountainous area near Roosevelt National Park has charred 9,668 acres, the U.S. Forest Service said Tuesday morning.

The fire was 74% contained, according to the Forest Service. More than 900 homes remained under mandatory evacuation on Tuesday. The fire has destroyed 45 structures, including 25 homes, officials said.

The fire remains under investigation, but fire officials said it appeared to be human-caused.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Pakistani national charged with alleged plot to assassinate Donald Trump, other public officials: DOJ

Pakistani national charged with alleged plot to assassinate Donald Trump, other public officials: DOJ
Pakistani national charged with alleged plot to assassinate Donald Trump, other public officials: DOJ
Catherine Falls Commercial/Getty Images

(NEW YORK) — A Pakistani national with purported ties to Iran was arrested last month on charges he plotted to assassinate former President Donald Trump and multiple other public officials, according to a criminal complaint unsealed Tuesday in Brooklyn federal court.

While the criminal complaint does not mention Trump by name, multiple sources familiar with the case told ABC News one of the intended targets of the alleged plot was Trump. Other possible targets included government officials from both sides of the aisle, the sources said.

After spending time in Iran, Asif Merchant flew from Pakistan to the U.S. to recruit hitmen to carry out the alleged plot, according to a detention memo. The person he contacted was a confidential informant working with the FBI, according to the criminal complaint.

Merchant, 46, is charged with murder for hire.

Asif was arrested July 12, one day prior Trump’s July 13 rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where he was shot in the ear.

“For years, the Justice Department has been working aggressively to counter Iran’s brazen and unrelenting efforts to retaliate against American public officials for the killing of Iranian General Soleimani,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement. “The Justice Department will spare no resource to disrupt and hold accountable those who would seek to carry out Iran’s lethal plotting against American citizens, and will not tolerate attempts by an authoritarian regime to target American public officials and endanger America’s national security.”

Breon Peace, U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York, added, “Working on behalf of others overseas, Merchant planned the murder of U.S. government officials on American soil.”

In April, Merchant arrived from Iran and contacted someone to help with his plot, according to officials. The person ended up being a confidential source who reported the information to law enforcement, according to the Justice Department. Merchant allegedly again met up with the source in early June and explained the assassination plot and said it was “not a one-time opportunity,” officials said.

“Specifically, Merchant requested men who could do the killing, approximately 25 people who could perform a protest as a distraction after the murder occurred, and a woman to do ‘reconnaissance,'” the complaint said.

By mid-June, he met up with the people he thought would carry out the hits — but who were actually undercover law enforcement officials, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Merchant even paid the apparent hitmen $5,000 as an advance on the assassinations before making plans to leave the country when the killings took place, officials said. Instead, he was arrested on July 12, the date he planned to leave the U.S.

“Fortunately, the assassins Merchant allegedly tried to hire were undercover FBI Agents,” acting Assistant Director Christie Curtis of the FBI New York Field Office said in a statement. “This case underscores the dedication and formidable efforts of our agents, analysts and prosecutors in New York, Houston, and Dallas. Their success in neutralizing this threat not only prevented a tragic outcome but also reaffirms the FBI’s commitment to protecting our nation and its citizens from both domestic and international threats.”

A final target had not been selected by the time Merchant made arrangements to fly out of the U.S., according to officials.

Investigators have said they’ve found no link between foreign operatives and Thomas Crooks, the 20-year-old shot and killed after he tried to assassinate Trump from a rooftop near the stage, but the arrest may help explain some last-minute adjustments to rally security.

“We were initially told that there was no Secret Service snipers coming but that was shifted either Thursday or Friday to indicate that there were,” Pat Young, head of the Beaver County Emergency Services Unit, told ABC News. “We had been told that this is the first time that a non-sitting president had been allocated Secret Service snipers. So that threw up some alarm bells for some of our guys that — why the sudden shift — from one stance to the other?”

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Harris, Walz to make first joint campaign appearance in Philadelphia

Harris, Walz to make first joint campaign appearance in Philadelphia
Harris, Walz to make first joint campaign appearance in Philadelphia
Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

(PHILADELPHIA) — Vice President Kamala Harris and her newly announced presidential running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, are slated to make their first campaign appearance together on Tuesday evening in Philadelphia, before a large crowd.

Hundreds of supporters were waiting in lines outside the Liacouras Center at Temple University for the event, which is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. ET.

Walz and Harris are expected to highlight their contrasts to former president Donald Trump and Sen. JD Vance.

Vance held a rally in the city earlier in the day.

Tuesday’s Harris-Walz event kicks off a five-day campaign road trip that will visit seven crucial swing states.

The vice president and Walz are scheduled to visit Eau Claire, Wisconsin; Detroit, Michigan; Durham, North Carolina; Savannah, Georgia; Phoenix, Arizona; and Las Vegas this week.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Pakistani national charged with alleged plot to assassinate Donald Trump, federal prosecutors say

Pakistani national charged with alleged plot to assassinate Donald Trump, other public officials: DOJ
Pakistani national charged with alleged plot to assassinate Donald Trump, other public officials: DOJ
Catherine Falls Commercial/Getty Images

(NEW YORK) — A Pakistani national with purported ties to Iran was arrested last month on charges he plotted to assassinate former President Donald Trump and multiple other public officials, according to a criminal complaint unsealed Tuesday in Brooklyn federal court.

While the criminal complaint does not mention Trump by name, multiple sources familiar with the case told ABC News one of the intended targets of the alleged plot was Trump.

After spending time in Iran, Asif Merchant flew from Pakistan to the U.S. to recruit hitmen to carry out the alleged plot, according to a detention memo. The person he contacted was a confidential informant working with the FBI, according to the criminal complaint.

Merchant, 46, is charged with murder for hire.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Election 2024 updates: Harris picks Tim Walz as running mate

Election 2024 updates: Harris and Walz to campaign in battleground states Wednesday
Election 2024 updates: Harris and Walz to campaign in battleground states Wednesday
Democratic Presidential candidate, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris delivers remarks during the Sigma Gamma Rho’s 60th International Biennial Boule at the George R. Brown Convention Center on July 31, 2024 in Houston, Texas. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

(WASHINGTON) — Vice President Kamala Harris secured enough Democratic Party delegate votes to become the party’s nominee, according to the Democratic National Committee. She is posed to pick Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate, with the two scheduled to embark Tuesday on a seven-state trip of some of the biggest battleground state in the election, according to her campaign.

President Donald Trump and his vice presidential pick, Sen. JD Vance, are set to speak to voters through scheduled rallies and events throughout the week, too. Vance will also be visiting the same battleground states as Harris and her newly minted vice presidential pick.

Here’s how the news is developing:

Harris announces Walz as VP pick on Instagram

Vice President Kamala Harris took to Instagram to announce Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her vice presidential running mate. Her X page was also updated with a new social wrap that highlights her vice presidential pick, along with a new poster that features the two.

“I am proud to announce that I’ve asked [Gov. Tim Walz] to be my running mate,” Harris wrote on Instagram.

“One of the things that stood out to me about Tim is how his convictions on fighting for middle class families run deep. It’s personal,” she continued.

“He grew up in a small town in Nebraska, spending summers working on his family’s farm. His father died of cancer when he was 19, and his family relied on Social Security survivor benefit checks to make ends meet. At 17, he enlisted in the National Guard, serving for 24 years. He used his GI Bill benefits to go to college, and become a teacher. He served as both the football coach and the advisor of the Gay-Straight Alliance,” Harris wrote.

“I share this background both because it’s impressive in its own right, and because you see in no uncertain terms how it informs his record. He worked with Republicans to pass infrastructure investments. He cut taxes for working families. He passed a law to provide paid family and medical leave to Minnesotan families,” she continued. “He made Minnesota the first state in the country to pass a law providing constitutional abortion protections after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, and as an avid hunter, he passed a bill requiring universal background checks for gun purchases.”

“But what impressed me most about Tim is his deep commitment to his family: Gwen, Gus, and Hope. Doug and I look forward to working with him and Gwen to build an administration that reflects our shared values,” she said.

-ABC News’ Gabriella Abdul-Hakim, Fritz Farrow and Will McDuffie

Trump campaign fundraising email from JD Vance says ‘I will wipe the floor with Tim Walz’

The Trump campaign sent a fundraising email from Sen. JD Vance on Tuesday with the subject line, “I will wipe the floor with Tim Walz.”

“I have three words for Tim Walz: Bring. It. On,” the fundraising email says.

-ABC News’ Lalee Ibssa

Josh Shapiro to attend Harris rally in Philadelphia tonight

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro will attend tonight’s rally in Philadelphia and “will do everything he can” to support the Harris-Walz ticket, someone familiar with the campaign’s thinking told ABC News.

-ABC News’ Will McDuffie

Rep. Dean Phillips, Biden primary opponent, said he’s ‘thrilled’ by Walz news

Minnesota Rep. Dean Phillips, who was one of President Joe Biden’s few primary challengers this cycle, said in a post on X on Tuesday morning that he was “thrilled” by the reports that his “friend” Tim Walz would be Kamala Harris’ VP pick.

“I’m thrilled by reports that my friend and governor will be America’s next Vice President,” Phillips posted, along with a photo of them together.

“Tim is a common-sense, competent and experienced leader whose refreshing normal-ness will be a great contrast to the tiresome weirdness. Let’s go!” he wrote.

Walz and Phillips never served in the House of Representatives together. Walz left his 1st Congressional District seat in 2019, when Phillips was coming in to serve the 3rd District.

Phillips has endorsed Harris’ White House bid.

-ABC News’ Isabella Murray

Rep. Ilhan Omar congratulates Walz

Progressive Minnesota Democrat Rep. Ilhan Omar congratulated her state’s governor on Tuesday.

“Our North Star state Governor has signed universal school meals, paid family and sick leave, marijuana legalization, and protections for reproductive rights into law,” she wrote on X, also sharing a photo of the two.

-ABC News’ Lauren Peller

Pelosi applauds Walz, but says ‘to characterize him as left is so unreal’

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi reacted on “Morning Joe” to the news that Vice President Kamala Harris is poised to pick Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate, saying: “Tim Walz is wonderful, and she had many good choices.”

“Tim Walz, I know very well. He served in the House. To characterize him as left is so unreal. It’s just not — he’s right down the middle. He is a heartland of America Democrat. He was the chair of our Veterans’ Affairs Committee, and I don’t want anybody to forget that — he made tremendous, tremendous gains for our veterans,” Pelosi said.

“We made more progress that has ever been made in the history of our country since the GI Bill under his leadership,” she continued.

Pelosi complimented his background and credentials, including serving in the National Guard.

“So, he brings the security credential. He brings the rural credential. And he will do in rural America,” Pelosi said.

“So it’s really mystifying to me to see someone that I worked with, shall we say, right down the middle characterized on the left in his regard. He has [Harris’] confidence obviously,” she added.

“[Walz] has a great vision for our country. It is about working-class families, about rural America, about our veterans. He has won for governor two times in Minnesota,” Pelosi added.

-ABC News’ Lauren Peller

Minnesota Rep. Betty McCollum calls Walz a ‘rock-solid Democrat’

Rep. Betty McCollum, D-Minn., praised Gov. Tim Walz on Tuesday, calling him a “rock-solid Democrat.”

“Tim Walz is my friend and a former colleague whose Midwest values are rooted in selfless service to our nation, caring for his neighbors, and inspiring students, soldiers and citizens to stand together, dream bigger and never give up,” she said in a statement, reacting to the news that Vice President Kamala Harris is poised to pick the Minnesota governor as her running mate.

“Tim is a rock-solid Democrat, a teacher, a football coach, a veteran and a leader who will defend our freedoms and will work to improve the lives of all Americans in every corner of our country,” she said.

-ABC News’ John Parkinson

Trump reacts to news Harris is poised to pick Tim Walz

Donald Trump on Tuesday reacted to the news that Vice President Kamala Harris is poised to pick Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate.

Trump, in a campaign email, claimed Walz “would be the worst VP in history” and said the governor was “even worse” than Harris.

The pro-Trump super PAC MAGA Inc., a separate entity from the Trump campaign, also released a statement, claiming Walz and Harris are “both far-left radicals that don’t know how to govern.”

-ABC News’ Rick Klein, Soorin Kim, Lalee Ibssa and Kelsey Walsh

Majority Whip Tom Emmer, a Republican, reacts to Walz poised to be Harris’ VP pick

House Majority Whip Tom Emmer of Minnesota, a Republican, criticized Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who is poised to be Harris’ pick for vice president.

In a post on X, Emmer said, “It’s not surprising @KamalaHarris picked Tim Walz to be her running mate — he embodies the same disastrous economic, open-borders, and soft-on-crime policies Harris has inflicted on our country the last four years.”

-ABC News’ Lauren Peller

Harris poised to pick Tim Walz as vice presidential running mate

Vice President Kamala Harris is poised to pick Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her vice presidential running mate to help her challenge Donald Trump and JD Vance in November.

Harris grows Pennsylvania volunteers

Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign is touting its robust ground game in Pennsylvania, saying it’s taking “nothing for granted” in the state, ahead of her running mate reveal, which is expected on Tuesday.

About 33,000 people signed up to volunteer for the campaign in Pennsylvania in the last 15 days, according to a campaign memo. The campaign boasts nearly 300 staffers across three dozen offices in the state, the memo said.

The campaign also said it was “doing the work to make inroads in historically-safe Republican areas.”

The campaign sought to contrast Harris’ record with former President Donald Trump’s, citing the vice president’s time as a prosecutor and saying she “is committed to keeping our communities safe and locking up dangerous crooks, criminals, and predators.”

“With only three months until Election Day, Trump’s campaign still lags far behind in the infrastructure needed to win with just three offices in Pennsylvania,” the Harris campaign memo said. “He’s shown he doesn’t want these voters.”

Kamala Harris earns majority of Democratic roll call votes

Vice President Kamala Harris has officially gotten the vast majority of delegate votes in the virtual roll call that nominates her as the Democratic presidential nominee, the Democratic National Committee said in a statement released late Monday.

The roll call, which concluded on Monday evening, still needs to be certified by Convention Secretary Jason Rae, according to the statement, but the announcement makes Harris’s historic nomination effectively official.

Sens. Sanders, Warren join Progressives for Harris Call: ‘We have to beat Trump in November’

On a three-hour organizing call with over 100,000 attendees, numerous high-profile progressive democrats came out to support Vice President Kamala’s Harris’ presidential bid.

Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, Reps. Joaquin Castro, Ro Khanna, Ilhan Omar and Jamie Raskin and UAW President Shawn Fain all showed up as well as members of the uncommitted movement who had not yet endorsed Harris but strongly hope she’ll win them over in the next few months.

“The energy and the momentum in this election is on our side. And I am so inspired by the organizing in support of Vice President Harris, starting with the win with black women that mobilized a massive zoom call. And now here tonight, we have progressives coming together,” Warren said on the call.

Sanders, who has not officially said he endorses Harris — although he has encouraged voters to go out and support the candidate — told attendees that “Trump must be defeated” and Harris “must be elected.” He noted that it’s “imperative that Democrats gain control over the House and the Senate.”

“And we in the progressive movement must do all that we can to make that happen,” he added.

“I don’t know if I can add to what has already been said tonight, but my message is pretty clear, and that is all of us together must do everything that we can to defeat Donald Trump and elect Kamala Harris as our next president,” said Sanders.

Harris campaign selling yard signs without revealing running mate’s name

Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign is promoting pre-orders for a campaign yard sign with a mockup image featuring her last name and tape and question marks over where her yet-to-be-announced running mate’s last name would be.

“Be one of the first to proudly display your support for Kamala Harris and her running mate,” the campaign said on its website.

JD Vance to also give remarks in same states as Harris this week

Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance is scheduled to give remarks in the same states on the same days as Vice President Kamala Harris this week, the Trump-Vance campaign announced, as Harris embarks on a battleground state tour.

Vance is scheduled to speak at noon ET in Philadelphia on Tuesday. The event comes as Harris is set to hold a rally with her yet-to-be-announced running mate Tuesday night in the city.

On Wednesday, he is scheduled to deliver remarks in the Detroit suburb of Shelby Township, Michigan, and Eau Claire, Wisconsin, as Harris also campaigns in those states then.

Then on Thursday, he is set to speak in Raleigh and Oakboro in North Carolina, aligning with Harris’ scheduled visit to the state.

-ABC News’ Hannah Demissie

Bon Iver to campaign with Harris in Wisconsin

Bon Iver will join Harris and her running mate on Wednesday in Eau Claire, Wisconsin — where the Grammy-winning indie folk band was founded — for a “special performance” as part of the campaign’s battleground state tour, the Harris campaign announced on Monday.

-ABC News’ Gabriella Abdul-Hakim, Fritz Farrow, Will McDuffie and Isabella Murray

Harris still deliberating on VP pick: Source

At this moment, Vice President Harris has not decided on a running mate and is still deliberating, according to a source.

More than 10K people expected at Harris’ Philly rally: Source

More than 10,000 people are expected to attend Harris’ rally Tuesday night in Philadelphia, where she’ll be joined by her new running mate, according to a source familiar with the plans.

That would make this the biggest event yet for the Harris campaign.

Harris is looking to build off her momentum. Pennsylvania kicks off her swing through seven battleground states in five days.

The pace of her campaign is in stark contrast to Trump’s, which has only one rally scheduled this week — in Montana on Friday.

Usha Vance says husband’s ‘childless cat ladies’ comment was a ‘quip’

In her first interview since her husband was named former President Donald Trump’s running mate, Usha Vance sat down with Fox & Friends where she discussed her husband’s “childless cat ladies” comment that has gained attention recently — calling it a “quip.”

“The reality is, JD made a quote – I mean, he made a quip, and he made a quip in service of making a point that he wanted to make that was substantive,” Usha Vance said of the comments her husband made in 2021. “And I just wish sometimes that people would talk about those things and that we would spend a lot less time just sort of going through this three-word phrase or that three-word phrase.”

She continued, “What he was really saying is that it can be really hard to be a parent in this country, and sometimes our policies are designed in a way that make it even harder.”

She added that her husband “would never ever ever want to say something to hurt someone who was trying to have a family who really was struggling with that.”

JD Vance has called the comments “sarcastic.”

“Let’s try to look at the real conversation that he’s trying to have and engage with it and understand for those of us who do have families, for the many of us who want to have families, and for whom it’s really hard,” Usha Vance said on Monday. “What can we do to make it better? What can we do to make it easier to live in 2024?”

-ABC News’ Kelsey Walsh, Hannah Demissie, Lalee Ibssa and Soorin Kim

Pelosi says she spoke with Biden ahead of his withdrawal ‘asking for a campaign that would win’

Former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, in an interview with Good Morning America anchor George Stephanopolous on Monday morning, said that she spoke with President Joe Biden ahead of his withdrawal from the 2024 presidential race “asking for a campaign that would win.” She also said Biden was “the only person that I spoke to” about Biden possibly withdrawing.

“The only person that I spoke to about this was the president. Other people called me about what their views were about it, and — but I rarely even returned a call, much less initiated one,” Pelosi said.

Later, she added, “I wasn’t asking him to step down. I was asking for a campaign that would win, and I wasn’t seeing that on the horizon.”

-ABC News’ Oren Openheim

Harris VP pick ‘most important’ decision, Pelosi says

Vice President Kamala Harris’ choice for her running mate is a the “most important” decision she has to make as her campaign gets started, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said.

All of her choices appear to be good, Pelosi added.

“It’s a difficult decision because they are all so great,” she told ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos on Good Morning America on Monday. “It is the most important decision for her to make. Not just about who can help win, but who can help serve and lead and whose confidence she trusts.”

Harris and to-be-announced running mate to launch seven-state tour Tuesday

Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, who is yet to be named, will go on tour, hitting seven battleground states in five days, the Harris campaign said Monday.

The tour will be an effort to “introduce the new Democratic ticket” and “speak directly with voters in their communities and cement the contrast between our ticket and Trump’s,” campaign said.

The tour, which kicks off Tuesday in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, will feature rallies in cities and stops at college campuses, including HBCUs, union halls, family-owned restaurants and their field offices, the campaign said.

The tour will continue through Eau Claire, Wisconsin; Detroit, Michigan; Durham, North Carolina; Savannah, Georgia; Phoenix, Arizona; and Las Vegas, Nevada, the campaign said.

Harris interviewing top VP contenders today at her residence: Source

Vice President Harris is meeting with top running mate candidates Sunday at her residence at the Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C., according to a source familiar with the matter.

Harris is meeting with at least three leading contenders — Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, according to the source.

The meetings were earlier reported by The New York Times.

Sen. JD Vance says he wears VP pick criticism as a ‘badge of honor’

In a Fox News interview Sunday, Sen. JD Vance responded to criticism of him being picked as former President Donald Trump’s running mate, saying he takes it as a “badge of honor.”

“All I can do is go out there and prosecute the case against Kamala Harris to remind people that things were more prosperous and more peaceful when Donald Trump was president,” Vance said. “Look, I recognize there are a lot of folks even in the GOP establishment and certainly on the far left who don’t like the fact that Donald Trump picked me, I actually take their criticism as a badge of honor.”

Vance also hit back at Democrats who’ve called him “weird,” calling it “a lot of projection.”

“They can call me whatever they want to. The middle school taunts don’t bother me,” he said. “What offends me is what Kamala Harris has done to this country over three and a half years.”

Harris campaign launches ‘Republicans for Harris’ outreach program

Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign announced Sunday that it would be launching a “Republicans for Harris” program aimed at reaching Republican voters who could be convinced to vote for Harris. The program will include digital advertising, phone banking, events and other initiatives, according to the campaign.

The program — and Harris herself — have been endorsed by a number of Republican figures, including former Trump White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham.

“I might not agree with Vice President Kamala Harris on everything, but I know that she will fight for our freedom, protect our democracy, and represent America with honor and dignity on the world stage,” Grisham wrote in a statement released by the Harris campaign.

The “Republicans for Harris” program will hold kickoff events starting this week, per the campaign.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Harris selects Tim Walz as vice presidential running mate

Harris selects Tim Walz as vice presidential running mate
Harris selects Tim Walz as vice presidential running mate
Nicole Neri/Bloomberg via Getty Images

(WASHINGTON) — Vice President Kamala Harris selected Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her vice presidential running mate to help her challenge Donald Trump and JD Vance in November.

Walz, 60, made a name for himself in the veepstakes as he gained major traction online with his folksy mannerisms and viral comments calling Trump and Vance “weird.”

He served in the Army National Guard and was a high school social studies teacher and football coach before he was elected to Congress in 2006.

He won six terms in the U.S. House representing a rural area of the state that had typically leaned conservative.

As governor, he’s implemented a bevy of progressive policies, including paid family leave, universal school breakfast and lunch, legalization of recreational marijuana use, state codification of abortion rights and gun control measures like universal background checks and red flag laws.

As a surrogate for Harris these past few weeks, Walz has praised her for reenergizing Democrats and defended her record against Trump’s attacks claiming she is “ultra-liberal.”

“He’s going to roll it out, mispronounce names, you know, to try and make the case,” Walz said of Trump attacking Harris during a recent appearance on CNN. “The fact of the matter is where you see the policies that Vice President Harris was a part of making, Democratic governors across the country executed those policies and quality of life is higher, the economies are better, all of those things, educational attainment is better.”

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Harris poised to pick Tim Walz as vice presidential running mate

Harris poised to pick Tim Walz as vice presidential running mate
Harris poised to pick Tim Walz as vice presidential running mate
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz speaks at a Biden-Harris campaign and DNC press conference on July 17, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Jim Vondruska/Getty Images)

(WASHINGTON) — Vice President Kamala Harris is poised to pick Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her vice presidential running mate to help her challenge Donald Trump and JD Vance in November.

Walz, 60, made a name for himself in the veepstakes as he gained major traction online with his folksy mannerisms and viral comments calling Trump and Vance “weird.”

He served in the Army National Guard and was a high school social studies teacher and football coach before he was elected to Congress in 2006.

He won six terms in the U.S. House representing a rural area of the state that had typically leaned conservative.

As governor, he’s implemented a bevy of progressive policies, including paid family leave, universal school breakfast and lunch, legalization of recreational marijuana use, state codification of abortion rights and gun control measures like universal background checks and red flag laws.

As a surrogate for Harris these past few weeks, Walz has praised her for reenergizing Democrats and defended her record against Trump’s attacks claiming she is “ultra-liberal.”

“He’s going to roll it out, mispronounce names, you know, to try and make the case,” Walz said of Trump attacking Harris during a recent appearance on CNN. “The fact of the matter is where you see the policies that Vice President Harris was a part of making, Democratic governors across the country executed those policies and quality of life is higher, the economies are better, all of those things, educational attainment is better.”

Story developing…

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Election 2024 updates: Harris poised to pick Tim Walz as running mate

Election 2024 updates: Harris and Walz to campaign in battleground states Wednesday
Election 2024 updates: Harris and Walz to campaign in battleground states Wednesday
Democratic Presidential candidate, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris delivers remarks during the Sigma Gamma Rho’s 60th International Biennial Boule at the George R. Brown Convention Center on July 31, 2024 in Houston, Texas. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

(WASHINGTON) — Vice President Kamala Harris secured enough Democratic Party delegate votes to become the party’s nominee, according to the Democratic National Committee. She is posed to pick Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate, with the two scheduled to embark Tuesday on a seven-state trip of some of the biggest battleground state in the election, according to her campaign.

President Donald Trump and his vice presidential pick, Sen. JD Vance, are set to speak to voters through scheduled rallies and events throughout the week, too. Vance will also be visiting the same battleground states as Harris and her newly minted vice presidential pick.

Here’s how the news is developing:

Harris poised to pick Tim Walz as vice presidential running mate

Vice President Kamala Harris is poised to pick Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her vice presidential running mate to help her challenge Donald Trump and JD Vance in November.

Harris grows Pennsylvania volunteers

Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign is touting its robust ground game in Pennsylvania, saying it’s taking “nothing for granted” in the state, ahead of her running mate reveal, which is expected on Tuesday.

About 33,000 people signed up to volunteer for the campaign in Pennsylvania in the last 15 days, according to a campaign memo. The campaign boasts nearly 300 staffers across three dozen offices in the state, the memo said.

The campaign also said it was “doing the work to make inroads in historically-safe Republican areas.”

The campaign sought to contrast Harris’ record with former President Donald Trump’s, citing the vice president’s time as a prosecutor and saying she “is committed to keeping our communities safe and locking up dangerous crooks, criminals, and predators.”

“With only three months until Election Day, Trump’s campaign still lags far behind in the infrastructure needed to win with just three offices in Pennsylvania,” the Harris campaign memo said. “He’s shown he doesn’t want these voters.”

Kamala Harris earns majority of Democratic roll call votes

Vice President Kamala Harris has officially gotten the vast majority of delegate votes in the virtual roll call that nominates her as the Democratic presidential nominee, the Democratic National Committee said in a statement released late Monday.

The roll call, which concluded on Monday evening, still needs to be certified by Convention Secretary Jason Rae, according to the statement, but the announcement makes Harris’s historic nomination effectively official.

Sens. Sanders, Warren join Progressives for Harris Call: ‘We have to beat Trump in November’

On a three-hour organizing call with over 100,000 attendees, numerous high-profile progressive democrats came out to support Vice President Kamala’s Harris’ presidential bid.

Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, Reps. Joaquin Castro, Ro Khanna, Ilhan Omar and Jamie Raskin and UAW President Shawn Fain all showed up as well as members of the uncommitted movement who had not yet endorsed Harris but strongly hope she’ll win them over in the next few months.

“The energy and the momentum in this election is on our side. And I am so inspired by the organizing in support of Vice President Harris, starting with the win with black women that mobilized a massive zoom call. And now here tonight, we have progressives coming together,” Warren said on the call.

Sanders, who has not officially said he endorses Harris — although he has encouraged voters to go out and support the candidate — told attendees that “Trump must be defeated” and Harris “must be elected.” He noted that it’s “imperative that Democrats gain control over the House and the Senate.”

“And we in the progressive movement must do all that we can to make that happen,” he added.

“I don’t know if I can add to what has already been said tonight, but my message is pretty clear, and that is all of us together must do everything that we can to defeat Donald Trump and elect Kamala Harris as our next president,” said Sanders.

Harris campaign selling yard signs without revealing running mate’s name

Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign is promoting pre-orders for a campaign yard sign with a mockup image featuring her last name and tape and question marks over where her yet-to-be-announced running mate’s last name would be.

“Be one of the first to proudly display your support for Kamala Harris and her running mate,” the campaign said on its website.

JD Vance to also give remarks in same states as Harris this week

Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance is scheduled to give remarks in the same states on the same days as Vice President Kamala Harris this week, the Trump-Vance campaign announced, as Harris embarks on a battleground state tour.

Vance is scheduled to speak at noon ET in Philadelphia on Tuesday. The event comes as Harris is set to hold a rally with her yet-to-be-announced running mate Tuesday night in the city.

On Wednesday, he is scheduled to deliver remarks in the Detroit suburb of Shelby Township, Michigan, and Eau Claire, Wisconsin, as Harris also campaigns in those states then.

Then on Thursday, he is set to speak in Raleigh and Oakboro in North Carolina, aligning with Harris’ scheduled visit to the state.

-ABC News’ Hannah Demissie

Bon Iver to campaign with Harris in Wisconsin

Bon Iver will join Harris and her running mate on Wednesday in Eau Claire, Wisconsin — where the Grammy-winning indie folk band was founded — for a “special performance” as part of the campaign’s battleground state tour, the Harris campaign announced on Monday.

-ABC News’ Gabriella Abdul-Hakim, Fritz Farrow, Will McDuffie and Isabella Murray

Harris still deliberating on VP pick: Source

At this moment, Vice President Harris has not decided on a running mate and is still deliberating, according to a source.

More than 10K people expected at Harris’ Philly rally: Source

More than 10,000 people are expected to attend Harris’ rally Tuesday night in Philadelphia, where she’ll be joined by her new running mate, according to a source familiar with the plans.

That would make this the biggest event yet for the Harris campaign.

Harris is looking to build off her momentum. Pennsylvania kicks off her swing through seven battleground states in five days.

The pace of her campaign is in stark contrast to Trump’s, which has only one rally scheduled this week — in Montana on Friday.

Usha Vance says husband’s ‘childless cat ladies’ comment was a ‘quip’

In her first interview since her husband was named former President Donald Trump’s running mate, Usha Vance sat down with Fox & Friends where she discussed her husband’s “childless cat ladies” comment that has gained attention recently — calling it a “quip.”

“The reality is, JD made a quote – I mean, he made a quip, and he made a quip in service of making a point that he wanted to make that was substantive,” Usha Vance said of the comments her husband made in 2021. “And I just wish sometimes that people would talk about those things and that we would spend a lot less time just sort of going through this three-word phrase or that three-word phrase.”

She continued, “What he was really saying is that it can be really hard to be a parent in this country, and sometimes our policies are designed in a way that make it even harder.”

She added that her husband “would never ever ever want to say something to hurt someone who was trying to have a family who really was struggling with that.”

JD Vance has called the comments “sarcastic.”

“Let’s try to look at the real conversation that he’s trying to have and engage with it and understand for those of us who do have families, for the many of us who want to have families, and for whom it’s really hard,” Usha Vance said on Monday. “What can we do to make it better? What can we do to make it easier to live in 2024?”

-ABC News’ Kelsey Walsh, Hannah Demissie, Lalee Ibssa and Soorin Kim

Pelosi says she spoke with Biden ahead of his withdrawal ‘asking for a campaign that would win’

Former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, in an interview with Good Morning America anchor George Stephanopolous on Monday morning, said that she spoke with President Joe Biden ahead of his withdrawal from the 2024 presidential race “asking for a campaign that would win.” She also said Biden was “the only person that I spoke to” about Biden possibly withdrawing.

“The only person that I spoke to about this was the president. Other people called me about what their views were about it, and — but I rarely even returned a call, much less initiated one,” Pelosi said.

Later, she added, “I wasn’t asking him to step down. I was asking for a campaign that would win, and I wasn’t seeing that on the horizon.”

-ABC News’ Oren Openheim

Harris VP pick ‘most important’ decision, Pelosi says

Vice President Kamala Harris’ choice for her running mate is a the “most important” decision she has to make as her campaign gets started, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said.

All of her choices appear to be good, Pelosi added.

“It’s a difficult decision because they are all so great,” she told ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos on Good Morning America on Monday. “It is the most important decision for her to make. Not just about who can help win, but who can help serve and lead and whose confidence she trusts.”

Harris and to-be-announced running mate to launch seven-state tour Tuesday

Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, who is yet to be named, will go on tour, hitting seven battleground states in five days, the Harris campaign said Monday.

The tour will be an effort to “introduce the new Democratic ticket” and “speak directly with voters in their communities and cement the contrast between our ticket and Trump’s,” campaign said.

The tour, which kicks off Tuesday in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, will feature rallies in cities and stops at college campuses, including HBCUs, union halls, family-owned restaurants and their field offices, the campaign said.

The tour will continue through Eau Claire, Wisconsin; Detroit, Michigan; Durham, North Carolina; Savannah, Georgia; Phoenix, Arizona; and Las Vegas, Nevada, the campaign said.

Harris interviewing top VP contenders today at her residence: Source

Vice President Harris is meeting with top running mate candidates Sunday at her residence at the Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C., according to a source familiar with the matter.

Harris is meeting with at least three leading contenders — Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, according to the source.

The meetings were earlier reported by The New York Times.

Sen. JD Vance says he wears VP pick criticism as a ‘badge of honor’

In a Fox News interview Sunday, Sen. JD Vance responded to criticism of him being picked as former President Donald Trump’s running mate, saying he takes it as a “badge of honor.”

“All I can do is go out there and prosecute the case against Kamala Harris to remind people that things were more prosperous and more peaceful when Donald Trump was president,” Vance said. “Look, I recognize there are a lot of folks even in the GOP establishment and certainly on the far left who don’t like the fact that Donald Trump picked me, I actually take their criticism as a badge of honor.”

Vance also hit back at Democrats who’ve called him “weird,” calling it “a lot of projection.”

“They can call me whatever they want to. The middle school taunts don’t bother me,” he said. “What offends me is what Kamala Harris has done to this country over three and a half years.”

Harris campaign launches ‘Republicans for Harris’ outreach program

Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign announced Sunday that it would be launching a “Republicans for Harris” program aimed at reaching Republican voters who could be convinced to vote for Harris. The program will include digital advertising, phone banking, events and other initiatives, according to the campaign.

The program — and Harris herself — have been endorsed by a number of Republican figures, including former Trump White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham.

“I might not agree with Vice President Kamala Harris on everything, but I know that she will fight for our freedom, protect our democracy, and represent America with honor and dignity on the world stage,” Grisham wrote in a statement released by the Harris campaign.

The “Republicans for Harris” program will hold kickoff events starting this week, per the campaign.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.