Democratic strategists worry Kamala Harris’s top VP contender would fall short against Vance

Some Democrats are warning Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) might not be the ideal pick to be Vice President Kamala Harris’s running mate as speculation swirls that the swing-state senator could clinch the coveted role.

John LaBombard, a Washington, D.C., insider who has served as a top aide to Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ) and former Missouri Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill, told the Hill he’s not sure Kelly would be Harris’s best-scenario vice presidential candidate. 

“My guess is that Sen. Kelly would have some growth to do in that part of the role, at least as compared to Gov. Walz,” the Democratic strategist said. Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN) is also rumored to be on the vice presidential short list. 

“The vice presidential candidate really ideally would be somebody who would be comfortable being an attack dog on the other ticket but doing it in a way that’s not off-putting to winnable voters,” LaBombard added. 

Steve Jarding, another Democratic strategist and a former adviser to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, said Kelly didn’t fit into the traditional “attack dog” mold for vice presidential contenders. However, Jarding believes that could be a benefit for voters turned off by partisan “pit bull” politics. 

Whoever Harris picks as her running mate will likely have to face former President Donald Trump’s feisty running mate during the vice presidential debate. The firebrand leader of the “New Right,” Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) cutting attacks on Harris indicates he’s ready to do the same to her No. 2. 

As rumors grow that Kelly heads the presumed Democratic nominee’s vice presidential short list, the battleground state senator has appeared willing to characterize himself as more of the “pit bull” candidate strategists hope for, ramping up attacks on the Trump-Vance ticket this week. 

While speaking on MSNBC’s Morning Joe on Wednesday, Kelly was quick to criticize the GOP ticket on immigration reform while dodging questions about the vice presidency. 

“We can’t have four more years of Donald Trump, especially with J.D. Vance one heartbeat away from the presidency,” the Arizona Democrat said. Earlier this week, Kelly told reporters that Trump had made the world “a more dangerous place.”

Kelly could already have one big supporter in his corner. Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), a close friend of Harris, praised the battleground senator as “out of the world” during an MSNBC appearance on Sunday. Booker has said he personally encouraged Biden’s heir apparent to make her run for the U.S. Senate back in 2016.

While the charismatic New Jersey Democrat also had glowing words for vice presidential contender Gov. Josh Shapiro (D-PA), Booker appeared to favor “one of the greatest champions and heroes in the country,” in rousing approval for the Arizonan.  

While Kelly has consistently deflected questions about becoming Harris’s running mate, a recent report from NOTUS indicates the Arizona senator is the favorite of the Democratic donor class. Additionally, his wife, former Arizona Democratic Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, shares a friendship with the vice president.