Washington, DC – Vice President Kamala Harris acknowledged she weighed Pete Buttigieg’s sexuality when considering him as a potential running mate during the 2020 campaign, saying she feared it could be a “real risk” with just 107 days before Election Day.
In a televised exchange, MSNBC host Rachel Maddow pressed Harris on whether her decision effectively meant Buttigieg was left off the ticket because he is gay. Harris pushed back, insisting she never said he “couldn’t be on the ticket” for that reason, but admitted she felt the political environment and tight timeline made the choice fraught.
“My point, as I write in the book, is that I was clear that in 107 days, in one of the most hotly contested elections … it made me very sad, but I also realized it would be a real risk,” Harris said. “It wasn’t about any prejudice on my part. I’ve been an advocate and an ally of the LGBT community my entire life. But the stakes were so high.”
Harris added that she considered Buttigieg “a phenomenal public servant” and said she believed America was ready for an openly gay candidate at that level. Still, she conceded her calculation in the moment may have been “too cautious.”
The remarks, drawn from her new memoir and expanded in the interview, highlight the intense political pressures behind the 2020 Democratic ticket formation, as Harris — then a newly chosen running mate — balanced historic firsts against campaign risks in a race against Donald Trump.
Key Points
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- Harris said she feared selecting Pete Buttigieg as her running mate in 2020 could be a “risk” due to his sexuality and the campaign’s short timeline.
- She denied prejudice, calling herself a lifelong LGBT ally, but admitted her decision caused “great sadness.”
- Harris praised Buttigieg as a “phenomenal public servant” and said America is ready for openly gay leadership.
Harris now admits caution may have cost Buttigieg his chance on the ticket.