Who could be Harris's running mate?
President Biden dropped out of the 2024 race on Sunday and endorsed Vice President Harris to become his replacement, a historic move that now raises the question of who would be Harris’s running mate if she gets the nod.
It’s not guaranteed that will happen. Harris still has to win the support of enough delegates heading into next month’s Democratic National Convention in order to become the official nominee. But as the current vice president and Biden’s handpicked successor, she is the clear favorite.
As for who could be her VP pick, there’s no shortage of potential candidates.
Here are some of the possible picks:
Andy Beshear
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear’s (D) success as the 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 seat blue back in 2019 and bested his Trump-backed GOP challenger in a competitive reelection race last year, even after Kentucky overwhelmingly voted for former President Trump in both 2016 and 2020.
The Bluegrass State governor said earlier this month that he would support Biden’s reelection bid as long as the incumbent remained the Democratic candidate, sidestepping a question about whether he’d given thought to replacing him.
On Sunday, Beshear said in a statement that Biden’s landmark decision is “in the best interest” of the country and party, while lauding the incumbent as “a consequential president.”
“While his decision today could not have been easy, it is in the best interest of our country, and our party. I want to thank him for his leadership, kindness and for a successful presidency that got big, important things done,” Beshear said. “Now it is time for our nation to come together. We need to dial down the anger, rancor and noise.”
Pete Buttigieg
While mayor of South Bend, Ind., Pete Buttigieg rose to prominence when he ran against Biden in the 2020 presidential race, developing an enormous following under his nickname “Mayor Pete.”
When Biden brought him into the administration as Transportation secretary, Buttigieg made history as the first openly gay Cabinet member, and his success has stoked questions about a future presidential run, as well as about whether he could join Harris on a 2024 ticket.
“Joe Biden has earned his place among the best and most consequential presidents in American history. I am so proud to serve under his leadership, and thankful for his unwavering focus on what is best for our country,” Buttigieg said in a statement on the social platform X after Biden’s announcement.
At 42, Buttigieg’s youth would stand out on a Harris ticket after age-based criticisms contributed to Biden’s historic exit from the race, particularly with 39-year-old Sen. JD Vance (Ohio) as Trump’s newly named running mate on the other side of the aisle.
Roy Cooper
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper (D) won the governor’s mansion in the Tar Heel State in both 2016 and 2020, even though Trump won the presidential race both cycles.
Under Cooper’s leadership, North Carolina has emerged as a battleground for Democrats, eyeing it as a potential flip. For this reason, some suggest that putting Cooper on a new 2024 ticket could bring the state more into play.
Earlier this month, Cooper reportedly brushed off talk of ticket changes as “the kind of speculation we do not need right now.” On Thursday, he joined Harris at a rally in Fayetteville, and though neither talked directly about the party 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 statement of gratitude to Biden after the Sunday announcement, lauding him as “among our nation’s finest Presidents.”
Mark 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 among the top contenders best positioned to serve as Harris’s running mate.
According to a memo from a Democratic-funded polling group BlueLabs, Kelly is among several battleground Democrats that perform better than Biden in their respective states.
However, choosing Kelly could come with some risk for Senate Democrats. Arizona’s Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs would almost certainly appoint a Democrat to fill Kelly’s seat, but then that Democrat would have to run in 2026 and then again for a full term in 2028.
The scenario mirrors the one Kelly went through when he ran for the special election against former Sen. Martha McSally (R), who was appointed in 2018. Kelly defeated McSally in 2020 and then won reelection for a full term in 2022.
Wes Moore
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D), another major rising star in the Democratic Party, has made campaign stops for Biden in the battleground states of North Carolina and Wisconsin. The governor was also front and center outside of the White House earlier this month following a meeting between Democratic governors and Biden about his debate performance.
The first-term governor has also made news for his handling of the Baltimore bridge collapse, which put him squarely on the national scene.
However, like many of the other rising star Democratic governors, Moore would still need to grow his national name ID. Additionally, Moore does not have a lot of experience in federal campaigns.
Gavin Newsom
California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) emerged this cycle as a prominent surrogate 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), with whom he debated on Fox News last year, has helped rocket him to party stardom and stoked rumors about 2028 ambitions.
But Newsom called talk of replacing Biden this cycle “unhelpful and unnecessary,” and both he and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) have reportedly communicated they’re not interested in serving as Harris’s second-in-command.
Newsom and Harris also both hail from the liberal blue state of California, and such a ticket could come under fire from Republicans critical of the Golden State. They’d also face hurdles from the Constitution’s restrictions on presidential and vice-presidential candidates from the same state.
In a statement after Biden’s exit from the race, Newsom said he’ll “go down in history as one of the most impactful and selfless presidents.”
JB Pritzker
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker on Sunday praised Biden and pledged to “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 top Biden surrogate and the second-term governor of his blue state, Pritzker was among those talked about as a potential Biden replacement.
He boasts an estimated $3.5 billion net worth, and could easily self-fund a campaign — and his abortion rights-focused policy advocacy group has notably invested hundreds of thousands in efforts to enshrine abortion rights in a handful of states this fall.
Pritzker will also be the host governor when the Democrats’ national convention takes place in Chicago next month. The Democratic National Committee chair 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 increasingly been floated as a potential pick for Harris as speculation rose over Biden dropping out of the race. Like Harris, Shapiro previously served as the attorney general of Pennsylvania. He also has 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 in the wake of the assassination attempt against Trump in Butler, Pa. The governor has also made headlines for his response to the East Palestine, Ohio, train derailment, which impacted Pennsylvania, last year.
While Shapiro is well known in the Keystone State, he would have a lot of work to do to grow his national name ID before November. Unlike Whitmer and Newsom, he does not have a national super PAC and does not have the same experience campaigning at a federal level.
Gretchen Whitmer
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D), who serves as a co-chair of the Biden-Harris campaign, has repeatedly been 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 herself to be a force for Democrats in Michigan and across the country. Whitmer won reelection at the top of the ticket in 2022 along with several other downballot Democratic candidates in the state. Since then, Whitmer has established her Fight Like Hell PAC, which is dedicated to electing Democrats in federal races.
Like Newsom, she’s been one of the top Democrats considered as a possible replacement in Biden’s place, but in a statement after the incumbent dropped out on Sunday, Whitmer suggested her role “will remain the same.”
“My job in this election will remain the same: doing everything I can to elect Democrats and stop Donald Trump, a convicted felon whose agenda of raising families’ costs, banning abortion nationwide, and abusing the power of the White House to settle his own scores is completely wrong for Michigan,” Whitmer said.
The Michigan governor also lauded Biden as “a great public servant” who’s done “remarkable work” on drug costs, supply chains, climate change and global leadership.