Vice President Kamala Harris appears to be closing in on the Democratic nomination after President Joe Biden dropped out of the 2024 race Sunday—triggering a rushed competition among the Democratic Party’s rising stars to become her running mate.
Key Takeaways
- Harris’ campaign has sent vetting materials to North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, all of whom have endorsed Harris to replace Biden, NBC News reported.
- Cooper and Harris have stumped for Biden in Cooper’s home state, which hasn’t picked a Democratic president since 2008 but is typically close, and he spoke to Harris over the phone Sunday, he told MSNBC on Monday.
- Shapiro, who like Harris, previously served as his home state’s attorney general and fought lawsuits from former President Donald Trump and his allies challenging Biden’s 2020 win in the state, could help shore up support in a must-win Rust Belt state for Democrats.
- Kelly also represents a swing state Biden narrowly won in 2020, and he defeated Trump-backed Republican Blake Masters in the 2022 midterm to help Democrats maintain control of the Senate—the former astronaut and husband of former Rep. Gabby Giffords, D-Ariz., tweeted Sunday he “couldn’t be more confident that [Harris] is the right person to defeat Donald Trump.”
- Whitmer could also help the party win votes in a key swing state, but she said Monday she would not accept an offer to be Harris’ running mate.
- Walz, who chairs the Democratic National Convention rules committee, told CBS Minneapolis affiliate WCCO on Monday becoming vice president is something he would “be a little nervous about.”
- Kentucky’s popular governor, Andy Beshear, who has won his deep-red state twice, is another potential pick for the No. 2 spot on a new Democratic ticket, though Democrats would still be unlikely to win Kentucky.
- California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker are other names commonly floated, but they could be at a disadvantage since they represent blue states—Pritzker said Tuesday he hasn’t received vetting materials from Harris’ campaign and did not directly answer when asked whether he would be interested in serving as VP (all 23 Democratic governors have endorsed Harris).
- Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., if chosen, could also draw Black voters in the key swing state, where he’s proven he can beat Republicans—twice—in closely contested races, but if he leaves the Senate, his state’s Republican governor would pick his successor.
- Maryland Gov. Wes Moore is another rising star in the Democratic party, but he said Monday he has “no intention” of leaving his current role.
- Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg (who both endorsed Harris) are other potential candidates who have national name recognition from their 2020 presidential campaigns.
What To Watch For
Harris is tasked with choosing a running mate before the first week of August, when Democrats plan to officially select their nominee. Parties typically select their nominees at their conventions (the Democrats’ begins Aug. 19 in Chicago), but the DNC is holding a virtual, early roll call this year to adhere to a since-modified Ohio law that required nominees to be finalized 90 days before the election, even though the Ohio legislature has since pushed back the timeline.
Key Background
Biden announced Sunday he is ending his 2024 presidential campaign, saying he believes “it is in the best interest of my party and the country to stand down.” His announcement came after he fended off calls from more than 30 elected Democrats to drop out of the race following a rough performance in last month’s debate. He promptly endorsed Harris as his replacement, she announced plans to seek the nomination on Sunday, and Democrats quickly fell in line behind her.
Tangent
Harris, Whitmer, Newsom, Buttigieg, Pritzker and Klobuchar all poll behind Trump in hypothetical matchups, according to a CNN/SSRS poll taken before Biden dropped out of the race. All fare better than Biden, who trails the former president by six points. Harris performs best of the six, polling two points behind Trump.
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