President Biden dropped out of the 2024 race on Sunday and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to become his replacement, a historic move that now raises the question of who Harris’ running mate would be if she wins the nod.
This is not guaranteed to happen. Harris still needs to win the support of enough delegates at next month’s Democratic National Convention to become the official nominee. But as the current vice president and Biden’s handpicked successor, she is the clear favorite.
As for who his pick for vice president could be, there’s no shortage of potential candidates.
Here are some of the possible choices:
Andy Beshear
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear’s (D) success as Democratic governor of his ruby-red state has boosted his profile as the party grapples with its future amid growing polarization between urban and rural communities.
Beshear flipped his blue seat back in 2019 and outperformed his Trump-backed Republican opponent in a competitive re-election race last year, even after Kentucky voted overwhelmingly for Trump in 2016 and 2020.
The Bluegrass State governor said earlier this month that he would support Biden’s re-election bid as long as the incumbent remained the Democratic nominee, sidestepping the question of whether he had considered replacing him.
On Sunday, Beshear said in a declaration that Biden’s historic decision is “in the best interests” of the country and party, while praising the incumbent as “an important president.”
“While your decision today may not have been easy, it is in the best interests of our country and our party. I want to thank him for his leadership, his kindness and a successful presidency that accomplished great and important things,” Beshear said. “Now is the time for our nation to unite. We need to reduce the anger, the bitterness and the noise.”
Pete Buttigieg
While mayor of South Bend, Indiana, Pete Buttigieg rose to prominence when he ran against Biden in the 2020 presidential race, garnering a huge following under his nickname “Mayor Pete.”
When Biden brought him into the administration as Secretary of Transportation, Buttigieg made history as the first openly gay Cabinet member, and his success raised questions about a future presidential run, as well as whether he might join Harris on a ticket for 2024.
“Joe Biden has earned his place among the best and most important presidents in American history. I am so proud to serve under his leadership and grateful for his unwavering focus on what is best for our country,” Buttigieg said in a statement. declaration in X after Biden’s announcement.
At 42, Buttigieg’s youth would stand out on Harris’ ticket after age-based criticism contributed to Biden’s historic exit from the race, especially with 39-year-old JD Vance as Trump’s newly named running mate across the hall.
Roy Cooper
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper (D) won the governor’s mansion in the Tar Heel State in 2016 and 2020, although Trump won the presidential race in both cycles.
Under Cooper’s leadership, North Carolina has emerged as a battleground for Democrats, viewing it as a potential upset. For this reason, some suggest that putting Cooper on a new ticket for 2024 could put the state more in play.
Earlier this month, Cooper reportedly ignored talk about ticket changes as “the kind of speculation we don’t need right now.” On Thursday, he joined Harris at a rally in Fayetteville, and while neither spoke directly about the party’s drama, the North Carolina governor praised the vice president as someone who “gets the job done.” as reported by local outlet WNCN.
Cooper shared a declaration of gratitude to Biden following Sunday’s announcement, praising him as “one of our nation’s best presidents.”
Marco Kelly
Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly (D) has become an influential voice for national Democrats, serving in the Senate since 2020. Democratic strategists and donors have named Kelly as one of the top candidates best positioned to serve as Harris’ running mate .
According to a memo from the Democratic-funded research group BlueLabs, Kelly is among several Democrats who are performing better than Biden in their respective states.
However, choosing Kelly could pose some risks for Senate Democrats. Arizona’s Democratic governor, Katie Hobbs, would almost certainly nominate a Democrat to fill Kelly’s seat, but then that Democrat would have to run in 2026 and again for a full term in 2028.
The scenario mirrors what Kelly went through when he ran in the special election against former Senator Martha McSally (R), who was nominated in 2018. Kelly defeated McSally in 2020 and was reelected to a full term in 2022.
Wes Moore
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D), another big rising star in the Democratic Party, made campaign stops for Biden in the swing states of North Carolina and Wisconsin. The governor was also in the spotlight outside the White House earlier this month following a meeting between Democratic governors and Biden about his debate performance.
The first-term governor also made news for his handling of the Baltimore bridge collapse, which put him squarely on the national stage.
However, like many of the other rising Democratic governors, Moore would still need to grow his national name. Additionally, Moore doesn’t have much experience running federal campaigns.
Gavin Newsom
California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) has emerged this cycle as a prominent replacement for Biden and has been among the names floated alongside Harris as a possible replacement for the incumbent at the top of the ticket.
His defense of Biden and his public sparring with Republicans like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), whom he debated on Fox News last year, helped propel him to party stardom and fuel rumors about his 2028 ambitions. .
But Newsom called talk of replacing Biden this cycle “pointless and unnecessary,” and both he and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) have reportedly communicated that they are not interested in serving as Harris’ second-in-command. .
Newsom and Harris also come from the liberal blue state of California, and such a ticket could be criticized by Republicans who criticize the Golden State. They would also face obstacles arising from the Constitution’s restrictions on presidential and vice-presidential candidates from the same state.
In a statement following Biden’s exit from the race, Newsom he said he “will go down in history as one of the most impactful and selfless presidents.”
JB Pritzker
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker on Sunday praised Biden and promised “work every day” to ensure that Trump does not win in November.
“As we extend our gratitude to President Biden and reflect on his many accomplishments, we must not ignore the threat posed by Donald Trump’s potential return to the White House,” Pritzker said.
A key Biden surrogate and second-term governor of his blue state, Pritzker was among those considered a potential Biden replacement.
He boasts an estimated net worth of $3.5 billion and could easily self-finance a campaign — and his policy advocacy group focused on abortion rights has notably invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in efforts to enshrine abortion rights in a handful of states this fall.
Pritzker will also be the host governor when the Democratic national convention takes place in Chicago next month. The DNC Chairman on Sunday promised a “transparent and orderly process” to select a new nominee, the Associated Press reported.
Josh Shapiro
First-term Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) has been increasingly touted as a potential pick for Harris as speculation has grown about Biden dropping out of the race. Like Harris, Shapiro previously served as Pennsylvania’s attorney general. He has also established himself as a popular governor of a swing state, defeating Republican Doug Mastriano in 2022.
Shapiro received praise last week for his unifying tone following the assassination attempt on former President Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania. The governor also made headlines for his response to the East Palestine, Oh. train derailment that impacted Pennsylvania last year.
Although Shapiro is well-known in the Keystone State, he would have a lot of work to do to grow his national name before November. Unlike Whitmer and Newsom, he does not have a national super PAC and does not have the same experience campaigning at the federal level.
Gretchen Whitmer
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D), who serves as co-chair of the Biden-Harris campaign, has been repeatedly mentioned as a potential pick for Harris.
Whitmer was first elected governor of Michigan in 2018, two years after Trump flipped the state in 2016. Since then, Whitmer has proven to be a force for Democrats in Michigan and across the country. Whitmer was re-elected at the top of the ticket in 2022, along with several other down-voted Democratic candidates in the state. Whitmer has since established her PAC Fight Like Hell, which is dedicated to electing Democrats in federal races.
Like Newsom, she has been one of the top Democrats considered as a possible replacement in Biden’s place, but in a statement after the incumbent’s withdrawal on Sunday, Whitmer suggested her role “will remain the same.”
“My job in this election will remain the same: do everything I can to elect Democrats and stop Donald Trump, a convicted felon whose agenda of raising family costs, banning abortion nationwide and abusing the power of the White House to solve its own problems the scores are completely wrong for Michigan,” Whitmer said.
The Michigan governor also praised Biden as “a great public servant” who has done “remarkable work” on drug costs, supply chains, climate change and global leadership.
This story originally appeared on thehill.com read the full story
