President Joe Biden’s decision to drop his re-election bid and endorse Vice President Kamala Harris means Democrats have to choose a running mate for Harris, assuming she wins the Democratic nomination for president.
Here are six of the most likely candidates ― at least according to political analysts ― plus one wild card.
With two exceptions, they’re all statewide office holders in potential swing states, meaning they could help Democrats pick up a chunk of electoral college votes from the voters who know them best. They’re also all white, and are mostly men, reflecting a conventional wisdom that it might be smart politics to have demographic balance on a ticket led by Harris, a Black and Asian-American woman.
One name not on the list: California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who shares a home state for Harris. Under the Constitution, electors from California would not be able to vote for both Harris and Newsom, and both would definitely need California’s 54 electoral votes to hit the 270-vote mark.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer
Whitmer, 52, has been the governor of Michigan since 2019, and previously served in the Michigan Senate and as a local prosecutor. Her sweeping reelection victory in 2022, built on a relentless focus on protecting abortion rights, resulted in total Democratic control of state government for the first time in decades.
That made her a darling of Democratic operatives, who think she could replicate her campaign on a national level. And of course, she could bring with her votes in Michigan, a crucial swing state for Democrats.
The big question facing her potential selection: Would the party, still scarred by Hillary Clinton’s loss in 2016, nominate two women on the same ticket?
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and guest Gov. Gretchen Whitmer during Wednesday's July 10, 2024 show.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro
Shapiro, a moderate who romped to victory in 2022 over a weak GOP nominee, has long been considered a potential first Jewish president. Like Whitmer, he hails from a must-win state for the party. And at just 51 years old, he’s also quite young; that contrast could be key if Democrats decide to emphasize Trump’s age, given he’s now that he’s the oldest candidate for the presidency. With six years experience as an attorney general under his belt, Shapiro would amount to doubling down on one of Harris’ biggest potential strengths: her record as a Democrat willing to be tough on crime.
Shapiro is relatively inexperienced as a high-profile government executive, having only served for two years as governor. But with Trump’s selection of JD Vance ― who only has two years of experience in the Senate ― as his own running mate, that may be less of an issue. He’s also a supporter of school voucher programs, which could alienate teachers’ unions ― an important part of the Democratic base.
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper
Cooper, age 67, is another moderate governor with experience as a state attorney general. He’s been the one Democrat consistently able to crack North Carolina’s complicated political code ― turning out Black voters, winning the suburbs, keeping the GOP’s rural margins down ― in the biggest races in recent years. He has a record of bipartisan wins, such as working with GOP state officials to finally expand Medicaid.
However, compared to Michigan and Pennsylvania, North Carolina is not seen as a must-win state for the Democratic Party. And in conversations with Democratic leaders, Cooper does not necessarily set hearts aflutter, compared to Whitmer and Shapiro.
North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper speaks during a even with US President Joe Biden about his Investing in America agenda at the Wilmington Convention Center in Wilmington, North Carolina, on May 2, 2024.
Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly
Kelly, 60, is a former naval aviator and astronaut who defeated incumbent Republican Sen. Martha McSally in 2020 to represent one of the purplest states in the U.S. His wife, former Rep. Gabby Giffords (D-Ariz.), is a high-profile gun control advocate who barely survived a 2011 shooting in which six people were killed.
As a senator, Kelly has voted as a moderate, repeatedly breaking with Biden on a range of issues, including border security. With Republicans planning to attack Harris on immigration, Kelly’s bona fides on the issue could make him an attractive selection.
“I tell them when I think they’re not getting stuff right, like in this case. There’s no plan,” Kelly told Politico in 2022 , regarding Biden’s plan to stop a policy for expelling migrants that had been put in place by Donald Trump during the COVID-19 pandemic.
A downside: If he wins, the party will be at risk of losing his seat in the 2026 midterm elections.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear
Beshear, who has won two terms in one of the country’s reddest states, has proven Democrats do not necessarily need to run away from socially liberal positions: His campaign was built on protecting abortion rights, and he also successfully fended off attacks on transgender rights in his 2023 reelection.
Beshear, who is just 46 years old, is also a former attorney general and the son of a former governor. Compared to the other governors on this list, however, he hails from a state wholly irrelevant to Democrats’ Electoral College strategy.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, who is running for reelection, speaks to reporters following a ribbon cutting ceremony celebrating the completion of a new section of highway in 2023.
Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg
Buttigieg has been the face of the Biden administration’s transportation policy, tasked with handling crises such as the 2023 East Palestine train derailment and a surge of flight cancellations in 2022. Buttigieg pushed a crackdown on airlines over flight delays last year, and this year he’s pushed a new rule requiring refunds for flight cancellations.
Buttigieg is also a skilled speaker, both on the stump and in TV interviews, and was, like Harris, one of Biden’s top rivals in the 2020 Democratic primary. That campaign catapulted the Navy veteran onto the national stage after he’d served eight years as “Mayor Pete” in South Bend, Ind.
Mark Cuban
Here’s the wild card. Cuban, a 65-year-old billionaire and one of the “sharks” on Shark Tank, has long mused about getting into politics. He’s been active on social media in recent months sparring with Trump-supporting billionaires, and has also won over fans with an online pharmacy offering generic drugs at low cost. If Harris wants an out-of-the-box choice, he could end up on a short list.
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