Kamala didn't want Walz

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Kamala Harris settled on Tim Walz to be her running mate last year because she felt Americans were too racist, antisemitic and homophobic to accept her preferred option — Pete Buttigieg.

In an excerpt from the former vice president’s forthcoming book, “107 Days,” obtained by The Atlantic magazine, Harris describes Buttigieg as her “first choice” but later deemed the openly gay former transportation secretary “too big of a risk” for the ticket.

Buttigieg “would have been an ideal partner — if I were a straight white man,” Harris wrote.

“But we were already asking a lot of America: to accept a woman, a Black woman, a Black woman married to a Jewish man,” she continued. “Part of me wanted to say, Screw it, let’s just do it. But knowing what was at stake, it was too big of a risk.”

“And I think Pete also knew that — to our mutual sadness.”


Kamala Harris had wanted to select Pete Buttigieg to be her running mate, but settled on Tim Walz, according to an excerpt from the former vice president’s forthcoming book, “107 Days.” AFP via Getty Images
Kamala Harris had wanted to select Pete Buttigieg to be her running mate, but settled on Tim Walz, according to an excerpt from the former vice president’s forthcoming book, “107 Days.” AFP via Getty Images
Harris ultimately tapped Walz, the governor of Minnesota, for the role and together, the pair went on to lose the popular vote, Electoral College and every single swing state to former President Donald Trump in the 2024 election.

In her book, Harris explained that Buttigieg topped her list of eight potential running mates because “he is a sincere public servant with the rare talent of being able to frame liberal arguments in a way that makes it possible for conservatives to hear them.”

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