Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham was one of Vice President Kamala Harris’ top candidates to serve as her own vice president on the Democratic ticket.
Politico was the first to report that Harris considered nine candidates, including Lujan Grisham, in the two-week sprint to vet and pick a partner for her quickly assembled presidential ticket. Harris ultimately picked Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who was introduced publicly at a rally in Pennsylvania on Tuesday night.
A spokesman for Lujan Grisham confirmed that she was vetted by lawyers working for Harris’ team, but she was ultimately not invited for a personal interview.
Harris and Lujan Grisham appear to have developed a strong relationship, nonetheless. Harris officiated the governor’s wedding to First Gentleman Manny Cordova at the vice president’s residence in Washington, D.C., in May 2022 and she traveled to New Mexico in October 2022 for a women’s summit on reproductive rights convened by the governor at the University of New Mexico.
Although she was not picked for the vice presidential slot, Lujan Grisham’s status as a high-profile Latina second-term governor could make her an attractive candidate for a cabinet position should Harris and Walz win in November.
Lujan Grisham was also briefly vetted in 2020 by President Joe Biden’s campaign for his vice presidential spot before he chose Harris, and the governor was considered for a cabinet position in 2021.