Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer confirmed Monday that she is not involved in vetting for the vice presidency and reiterated that she has ruled out serving as Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate.
Whitmer, 52, who has long sparked presidential buzz, is set to stump for Harris, 59, in Pennsylvania along with Gov. Josh Shapiro, 51, later in the day Monday. But she underscored that it is not part of any aspirations for higher office this cycle.
“I have communicated with everyone, including the campaign, that I’ve made a commitment to serve out my term as governor in Michigan,” Whitmer told MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” on Monday.
“I can be an excellent ally to President Harris and I can be a great co-chair of the Harris campaign from my place as governor. So I am not a part of the vetting,” she added.
Whitmer, who is a co-chair of the recently rebranded Harris for President campaign, endorsed the vice president on Monday, just a day after President Biden’s bombshell announcement that he was dropping out of the race.
Later Monday, the Michigan governor ruled out a bid for the veepstakes, telling a WLNS reporter, “No, I’m not planning to go anywhere.”
“I am proud to be the governor of Michigan. I have been consistent,” she said. “I know everyone is always suspicious and asking this question over and over again. I am not going anywhere.”
Harris has been scrambling to complete a rushed vetting process for her No. 2. She is expected to make her big decision in less than two weeks.
The Democratic National Committee’s rules panel had voted to forge ahead with a virtual roll call to crown the party’s nominee by Aug. 7 for ballot access purposes. Her pick must be announced before such a vote can take place.
That’s in advance of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago next month. The convention will take place from Aug. 19 to 22.
Whitmer predicted that the decision would come even sooner.
“Everything is truncated, and she’s going to make that decision probably in the next six, seven days,” Whitmer told “CBS Mornings.”
Rumored contenders in the veepstakes include Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Shapiro, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, among others.
“The vice president has got a great group of people from whom she’s going to pick her running mate, and I know that I can be the best ally on the ground in Michigan as a co-chair of this campaign as well,” Whitmer added.
Harris is the presumptive Democratic nominee for president now that she has clinched sufficient support among the delegates.
Amid Harris’ abrupt rise, Democrats are touting momentum on her side. Over the weekend, the Harris campaign claimed to have raked in some $200 million within just under the one-week mark of Biden dropping out.