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Kamala Harris is already weighing her Cabinet choices, aiming for more young people and people of color than President Joe Biden, a new report reveals.
Axios reported a preliminary list of several picks for top administration positions including Senators Laphonza Butler and Alex Padilla, from Harris’s home state of California, and Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer.
For Secretary of State, Harris’s shortlist includes Delaware Senator Chris Coons, CIA director Bill Burns and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, according to Axios.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, a former contender as Harris’s running mate, could be nominated for US Ambassador to the United Nations. Harris may also be considering Michèle Flournoy, undersecretary of defense for policy under President Barack Obama, for Secretary of Defense. If chosen and confirmed, Flournoy would be the first woman to hold the title, according to Axios.
“You won’t see a bunch of new people you’ve never heard of,” one unnamed staffer told Axios.
The report comes days after Harris announced her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, and officially clinched the Democratic nomination.
As for the highly-visible role of White House press secretary, Harris could consider Brian Fallon, her current senior adviser for communications, Axios reports.
The list has been compiled in just under three weeks, since Biden dropped out of the race and endorsed Harris for the top of the ticket.
This week, Harris is pulling ahead of Republican rival Donald Trump in election polling for the first time, with the vice president taking a three-point lead over her competition, according to new data from NPR, PBS and Marist.
This lead comes after polling showed Harris neck-and-neck with the GOP candidate for several days.
