Virginia Senator Tim Kaine called Sunday’s decision by Joe Biden to step aside from the presidential campaign a "jolt."
Kaine said he believes Harris will earn the nomination between now and the Democratic convention, which starts August 19th. In a call with reporters Monday morning, Kaine said he was fully endorsing Kamala Harris to be the party’s nominee to run against Republican Donald Trump.
"He’s yesterday’s chaos," Kaine said. "Kamala Harris and her likely VP pick, I have no idea who that will be but I know the kinds of folks being mentioned, they’re about today and tomorrow. And in any race, I will always go with the ticket that’s about today and tomorrow."
Kaine said there’s absolutely zero chance of a Harris-Kaine presidential ticket, now that President Biden has stepped out of the campaign. Kaine’s been through the Vice-Presidential vetting process twice before and was Hillary Clinton’s running mate in 2016.
Kaine said compatibility with the Presidential nominee is the most important factor being considered.
"You’re picking someone who can help you be a good president. But you’re also picking someone who if God forbid something bad happens to you, you have confidence that they’ll do a good job.
Kaine expects the list to be short due to the compressed timeline between now and the Democratic Party convention in August.
Meanwhile, the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus has thrown its support behind Vice President Harris. Members had been strongly supporting President Joe Biden’s effort to stay in the 2024 election, even after his disappointing debate performance.
In a statement sent out Monday morning, the VLBC said Biden put the country first when he made the decision to step aside. The statement praised Harris as a champion on issues like civil and reproductive rights.
“Black women have a sense of ownership in this race like no other, and I think women overall will join in that,” state Senator Lamont Bagby told Radio IQ.
But not all of Virginia’s legislators were as excited about the switch to VP Harris. In a post on social media, House Republican Leader Todd Gilbert said it didn’t matter who Democrats pick for November. If they win, he said, they’ll quote “continue to make life harder, less prosperous, and more dangerous for all Americans.”
In a statement Monday afternoon, 6th District Congressman Ben Cline called for Biden to resign from the office or be removed by the 25th Amendment.
"If Biden can't handle running a campaign, he can't handle holding the highest office," the Republican wrote.
The Republican nominee for Vice President is scheduled to speak at Radford University this evening. It’s among the first solo appearances for JD Vance since he was nominated as Donald Trump’s running mate.
The event at Radford’s Dedmon Center is expected to begin at 6.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.
