Kamala Harris, in her memoir 107 Days, reveals Pete Buttigieg was her preferred running mate during the 2024 campaign — but ultimately, she decided against the pairing, believing the American electorate wasn’t ready. She writes that Buttigieg “would have been an ideal partner — if I were a straight white man.”
Harris argued that she was already asking a lot of voters: to accept a Black woman, one married to a Jewish man, as vice president, and that adding the openly gay Buttigieg to the ticket would be pushing those boundaries too far. She admits part of her wanted to take the risk, but concluded the political cost was too high. “And I think Pete also knew that — to our mutual sadness,” Harris writes.
She instead chose Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate. Harris praises Buttigieg’s communication skills and ability to convey liberal arguments in ways that resonate with critics. Despite her admiration, she believed the combination of her identity and his would pose vulnerabilities in the campaign.
Her memoir also reflects on other difficult decisions, including whether President Joe Biden should have stepped back earlier in the campaign, describing it as “recklessness.” Harris acknowledges the many pressures she faced as a candidate trying to break historical barriers while also trying to win.
Despite the controversy stirred by her admissions, Harris’s book has sparked renewed attention on the internal dynamics of the 2020 and 2024 Democratic campaigns. Political observers note that her comments could complicate relationships within the party as 2028 looms, especially if both she and Buttigieg decide to pursue the presidency. Critics argue the revelations may alienate key Democratic voter blocs, while others see it as a rare moment of candor from a politician long accused of being overly scripted.
