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By Dana Ferguson and Anna Haecherl, Minnesota Public Radio News

Within the next day, we should learn whether Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz lands the Democratic vice presidential nomination — or gets passed over for another candidate.

He has catapulted to the top tier of choices for Kamala Harris, the current vice president who will lead the party’s ticket in November.

Harris deliberated over the pick Sunday in Washington, where Walz and other contenders reportedly sat for final interviews.

Walz abruptly canceled a trip to New Hampshire, where he was supposed to attend some Democratic Party rallies on Sunday. Multiple news outlets cited sources saying Walz had made his way to Washington for a face-to-face meeting with Harris.

Harris has rapidly become the clear favorite to lock down the presidential nomination since President Joe Biden dropped his bid for reelection. And she has gained enough support in the virtual roll call to secure the nomination she’ll formally accept at the Democratic National Convention in just over two weeks.

Her ascension opened an abbreviated but intense vetting process for her own running mate. Walz was at first seen as a longshot but, over recent days, wound up squarely in the picture.

It’s been through a mix of his message, media attention and his biography that Walz has climbed into contention. Walz put himself out there a lot in the last two weeks. He has been all over cable television and in national publications drawing contrasts between Democrats and the Republican presidential ticket led by Donald Trump.

Walz has spoken forcefully about ways government actions have improved and can improve people’s lives. He talks about his own upbringing in small-town America and his pre-politics career as a teacher. He has suggested that Democrats do more to connect with rural voters who are aligning more with Republicans of late. He does it all with humor and catchy lines that top Democrats, including Harris, have taken notice of. He — now famously — criticized Trump and his running mate JD Vance for sounding “weird” in how they cast America.

Walz is not the only contender to be Harris’ running mate. At least two others are also reported to have met with Harris over the weekend — Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly. Others are still being considered.

Former Attorney General Eric Holder, who has helped lead the VP search, was spotted arriving Sunday at the Naval Observatory in Washington. That’s the official residence of the vice president and where Harris was hunkered down to assess her options.

MPR News did not hear back from Walz advisers after seeking comment over the weekend, and didn’t come across any video or photographic evidence of his meeting with Harris.

We will likely know Harris’ pick sometime Monday — or Tuesday at the latest. That’s because Harris’ campaign has already set up a five-day, seven-state battleground tour with Harris and her vice presidential candidate. The first rally is Tuesday evening in Philadelphia.

Democrats also want to finalize their ticket by Tuesday in order to file for the Ohio ballot — the state with the earliest deadline, Aug. 7.

Minnesota’s ballot deadline for major party presidential candidates doesn’t come until Aug. 26.