Harris’s campaign has reportedly requested vetting materials from five potential running mates.
Now that the Democrats seem to be closing ranks behind Kamala Harris as their presidential nominee, the conversation has shifted to who the current VP will choose as her running mate. Several names have been floated, including up-and-comers who were once considered potential rivals for the nomination.
But that list appears to have been whittled down: NBC reports that Harris’s campaign has requested vetting materials from five Democratic heavy hitters — mostly governors, primarily from key battleground states.
“I think the most important qualification in a vice president is that they need to be ready to be president instantly,” Atlantic editor and former George W. Bush speechwriter David Frum told Katie in an interview this week. “So I think she needs to look at governors, and I’d like to see her looking at one of the more conservative-leaning governors…someone who will send a message to the country that this is not some wacko progressive outfit.”
Here’s a look at who’s on the reported shortlist, the other contenders still in play, and what Frum and other political insiders are saying about who has the best shot of winning the veepstakes.
Who is Kamala Harris considering for her VP running mate?
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro
Josh Shapiro, 51, has become a rising Democratic star. After serving as Pennsylvania’s Attorney General, he became the state’s governor in 2022 when he soundly defeated MAGA Republican Doug Mastriano.
The Democrats view Pennsylvania as a must-win swing state, and Shapiro may just help tilt the scales. Of the potential running mates in the mix, he was one of the first to endorse Harris. Some outlets are reporting that he’s a leading vice presidential candidate, although New York Times senior political correspondent Maggie Haberman told Katie on Sunday that he might not want to be VP and that Harris may not want him on the ticket either.
Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly
Mark Kelly, a veteran and former astronaut, won his Senate seat in 2020. He campaigned heavily on gun reform, a topic he’s well-versed in. (Kelly, 60, is married to Gabby Giffords, the former Arizona Rep. who survived an assassination attempt in 2011.)
Like Shapiro, he’s proven that he can take down a Trump-endorsed candidate in an election and could also help deliver another important battleground state. Also like Shapiro, he’s rumored to be a leading contender.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer
Gretchen Whitmer, who was in the running to be President Biden’s No. 2 back in 2020, is another high-profile liberal who is reportedly being vetted She’s also from a purple state that the Democrats will need to carry in November. However, there’s never been an all-female presidential ticket and many observers, including Haberman, believe Harris is more likely to pick a man as her VP.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear
Andy Beshear fits Frum’s ideal of a “more conservative-leaning governor” who can help draw moderates. At 46, he and Harris would also be the youngest Democratic ticket since Bill Clinton and Al Gore, though he’s also the only candidate on the shortlist not from a swing state.
Beshear said Harris called him a couple of hours after President Biden’s announcement to ask for his support but wouldn’t say what else they discussed.
“I pledged my support to her,” he told the Associated Press. “The rest of that conversation I said would stay between us. We have a trust where we’re able to exchange ideas and give advice.”
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz
As co-chair of the Democratic National Convention’s rules committee, two-term governor Tim Walz has raised his national profile as of late, although his inclusion on the reported VP list surprised many within the party.
He does have the benefit of being from a battleground state (though not one as critical as Pennsylvania or Arizona) and has said that he’d seriously consider running alongside Harris, who called him Sunday evening.
“She mentioned that she would need my help,” Walz told MPR. “And I said she has it in any way that she sees fit.”
Other potential Harris running mates
There are several other leading Democrats that could also be in play. Many have speculated that North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper could be a strong contender. The Democrats have had their sights set on the Tar Heel state for some time, and Cooper could help them flip it, though most forecasters still think it’ll still be too far out of reach in November.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, a 59-year-old billionaire, may be another strong option partly because of his wealth. The Times reports that although he’s not from a swing state he could give the campaign a boost by helping to fund it. Two Biden cabinet members are also being talked about: Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, whose 2020 presidential bid has added to his name recognition, and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo.
