Harris ‘absolutely’ the best choice for Biden running mate: Newsom

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) on Monday offered his full support for Vice President Harris as President Biden’s running mate after some Democrats suggested Biden consider replacing her on the 2024 ticket.

CNN’s Dana Bash asked Newsom whether Harris is the “best person to be on the ticket” with Biden, referencing an interview last week in which Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) did not explicitly say whether she felt Harris was the best running mate for Biden.

“Of course she is,” Newsom said. “Biden-Harris administration, master class in terms of performance — bipartisan deals on infrastructure, bipartisan deals on guns and debt ceiling, on the CHIPS and Science Act.”

“I mean, by definition. If I think this administration in the last 2 1/2 years has been one of the most outstanding administrations in the last few decades, and she’s a member of that administration, she gets to lay and claim credit to a lot of that success. The answer is absolutely,” he added.

Harris’s political value was front and center last week after a trio of opinion columnists suggested Biden could quell concerns about his age in part by choosing a different running mate.

Pelosi then heaped praise on the vice president but declined to say if she thought Harris was the best choice for Biden’s running mate in 2024. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) similarly called Harris “excellent” but would not specifically say he thought she was the best option for Biden.

White House allies rallied around Harris, arguing she is a major asset for Democrats in connecting with young voters and Black voters and leading on critical issues like abortion and gun violence.

Newsom was the subject of speculation at one point about whether he might run for president in 2024, but he has said he has no plans to do so and has been one of the most vocal supporters of the Biden administration in recent months.