Author: Sam Buisman
Joe Biden picks Senator Kamala Harris for vice president.
On Tuesday afternoon, the former vice president and current Democratic presidential nominee unveiled that he had selected Harris as his running mate, ending a months-long vetting process and concurring period public speculation. With this pick, Harris will be the first Black or South Asian American woman to appear on a major U.S. party's presidential ticket in history.
In reaction to the pick, the Democratic Party of Wisconsin celebrated Biden's choice, arguing that Harris' record proves she will fight for Wisconsinites.
“She cracked down on predatory mortgage lenders and took the big banks to task in court, fought to protect our environment from big oil, faced down the gun lobby and won, and helped take down the ban on gay marriage,” wrote Wisconsin Democratic Party Chair Ben Wickler. “Wisconsin needs fighters in the White House more than ever, and that's exactly what we'll get with Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.”
However, the Wisconsin GOP critiqued Harris as too progressive and disconnected from Wisconsin.
“Democrats are hoping Harris can distract Americans from the fact that Joe Biden continues to run his campaign from the basement,” said Wisconsin Republican Party Chairman Andrew Hitt. “But her far-left agenda includes her push to defund the Los Angeles police department, and she's just another extremist pushing socialist policies that Wisconsinites can't afford.”
Harris has served as a California senator since 2017 and ran against Biden in the 2020 Democratic Presidential Primary. During her Senate tenure, she rose to national prominence during the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh for her scathing cross-examination of the to-be Justice.
However, some progressives critique Harris for her tenure as the District Attorney of San Fransico and Attorney General of California, for which they criticize Harris for assuming a “tough-on-crime” posture and protective relationship with the police.
Harris will face off against incumbent Vice President Mike Pence in the Vice Presidential Debate on Oct. 7.
