2024 Election

While the selection of a running mate in recent decades has had little discernible electoral impact on elections, experts told OSV News the selection of vice presidential candidates can be a signal of how a presidential candidate intends to campaign or govern, including in areas of interest to Catholics such as abortion, climate, immigration and labor.

Former President Donald Trump recently wrote on social media that his administration would be “great for reproductive rights,” a term often used by those who advocate for legal abortion, followed by his running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, promising Trump would veto a national abortion ban.

Vice President Kamala Harris argued the nation is ready for the “next great chapter” of its story as she formally accepted her party’s presidential nomination for president during remarks at the Democratic National Convention Aug. 22.

Gov. Tim Walz, D-Minn., pledged a “commitment to the common good,” in remarks to the Democratic National Convention Aug. 21 as he formally accepted his party’s nomination for vice president.

President Joe Biden both sought to cement his own legacy and pass the torch to Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic Party’s standard-bearer during his address at the opening night of the Democratic National Convention.