Who Could Kamala Harris Pick as Her VP?
Vice President Kamala Harris will have a bench of new-generation Democratic leaders to turn to as she moves toward the first critical decision of her candidacy: picking a running mate.
The list of possibilities is fairly well known and includes Democrats widely seen as possible presidential candidates in 2028 or even this year. Whether or not she faces any competition for the nomination, she needs to begin to consider who would be her running mate in a race against the Republican ticket, Donald J. Trump and JD Vance. Democrats will convene in Chicago on Aug. 19 for their nominating convention.
Ms. Harris, 59, could be inclined to turn to someone from a battleground state that the party needs to win. She is also likely to turn to a male running mate, Democrats said, to give the ticket balance; again, though, nothing is certain.
Here’s a look at the names of likely Democrats on Ms. Harris’s desk now.
Mr. Beshear is a two-term Democratic governor from Kentucky, a solidly Republican state. When he first won in 2019, his victory was regarded as a fluke; Mr. Trump won the state by about 30 percentage points three years earlier. But last year, he easily won re-election. He has emphasized the “common good,” working with Republicans on legislation, including medical marijuana, and often talks about his Christian faith. It’s a message that could be particularly appealing for Democrats now, as they try to win over moderate white voters in the suburbs.
Jon Cherry for The New York Times
Mr. Cooper is the governor of what might at best be called a swing-adjacent state — Barack Obama won there in 2008. Picking Mr. Cooper might put it in play, or at the least, press the Trump campaign to invest money in a state it would otherwise not have to worry about. In 2020, when Mr. Trump won the state by 1.3 percentage points, Mr. Cooper was elected by 4 points. But he is term-limited, so he cannot run again. And if Mr. Cooper gets the nod, every time he leaves the state to campaign, Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, a very conservative Republican who is running for governor, becomes the acting governor.
Tierney L. Cross for The New York Times
The Arizona senator rose to national prominence after his wife, Representative Gabby Giffords, survived an assassination attempt in 2011. Mr. Kelly, a veteran of the Navy and a former astronaut, began campaigning for stricter gun control. He won his Senate seat in 2020. He has carved out an image as a moderate in Arizona, building a coalition that relied on white women in the suburbs as well as young Latino voters who were crucial in delivering the state to Mr. Biden in 2020.
Rod Lamkey Jr. for The New York Times
Mr. Pritzker has been the governor of Illinois since 2019. That is not a swing state, but he is a billionaire, and could help finance the campaign. That’s no small matter as Mr. Trump has seen an avalanche of financial support since Mr. Biden’s poor debate appearance in June. Mr. Pritzker, who is also Jewish, has drawn Democratic attention with his attacks on Mr. Trump. “Do they really want a president who is a felon who faces jail time?” Mr. Pritzker said in June.
Jamie Kelter Davis for The New York Times
Mr. Shapiro was elected as governor in 2022 after serving as the state’s attorney general from 2017. Pennsylvania is a must-win state for Democrats, and Mr. Shapiro’s stock among Democrats rose won notice in the party after he swamped his Republican opponent in 2022, Doug Mastriano, winning 56 percent of the vote.
As demonstrations against Israel spread across campuses this fall, Mr. Shapiro — who would be the second Jewish running mate on a major-party ticket in history if he were picked — denounced the rise in antisemitism after the attack by Hamas on Israel on Oct 7. He also won praise for overseeing quick repairs after a messy bridge collapse on I-95 last year.
Kriston Jae Bethel for The New York Times
Less likely contenders
There are other names that have been mentioned in the crush of the hours since Mr. Biden announced his plans. Those include:
Desiree Rios for The New York Times
Eric Lee/The New York Times
Jam Sta Rosa/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
Eric Lee/The New York Times
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