Who will be Kamala Harris' pick for VP?

If Harris is the nominee, who will be her running mate?

What you probably already know: President Joe Biden made history Sunday, announcing he was not going to pursue a second term and endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris. While Harris is not yet a sure thing and stated she plans to earn the party’s endorsement at the Aug. 19-22 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, it appears the Democratic party is already rallying around her. That has many wondering who she will pick for her running mate.

Who’s on the list? Many expect Harris to select someone who represents an important swing state, where this year’s election is likely to be decided. That narrows the list considerably to include:

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper

Cooper is 67 and Harris has spoken publicly several times about her good relationship with him. He is currently in his second term as governor of the state, which went to Donald Trump in the 2020 election but went to Barack Obama in the 2008 election. He rose to prominence after fighting North Carolina’s “bathroom bill” that barred transgender people from using the restroom that aligned with their gender identity.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer 

Whitmer is 52 years old and has been governor of this important swing state since 2019. She served in the Michigan House of Representatives from 2001 to 2006 and in the Senate in her state until 2015. She has reportedly stated she is not interested in serving as a potential No. 2 to Harris, but that was before Biden officially stepped back. While a ticket with two women would be surprising (even though tickets with two men have been the standard for centuries), Whitmer represents a very important state for the Democrats.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro

Shapiro, 51, has been governor of Pennsylvania since 2023 and was the state’s attorney general before that. He stepped into the spotlight after the I-95 bridge collapsed in Philadelphia and was able to reopen a temporary roadway within 12 days of the collapse. He’s a pretty moderate Democrat with significant political experience in a very important swing state that the Trump campaign has said will be a focus, so should be seen as a strong candidate.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear

Beshear is in his second term as governor of Kentucky and was attorney general before that from 2016 to 2019. At 46, the’s among the youngest people on the shortlist. His ability to win three statewide elections in a deep red state like Kentucky adds to his appeal for the Democrats. His ability to work with a Legislature that is controlled by Republicans adds to his appeal.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg

Buttigieg, who, at 42, would be the youngest on the shortlist, has developed a significant fan base within the Democratic party and has served as President Biden’s transportation secretary for the last four years. Before that, he was mayor of South Bend, Indiana, and is a former Navy officer. He also has deep ties to Michigan, an important swing state.

Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly

Kelly, 60, has served as a senator since 2020 and the Hill has reported that Kelly is one of just a few Democrats who has performed better in polls than Biden. While he is extremely popular, his successor would face a difficult election in 2026 and then again in 2028, which could put that important seat up for grabs for Republicans, which may make some Democrats nervous about pulling Kelly out of the Senate.

Other potential names: While California Gov. Gavin Newsom is one of the Democratic stars, both he and Harris come from California, which is not particularly helpful from an electoral college standpoint, and would also open the campaign up to easy attacks on the state’s liberal policies. Additionally, the U.S. Constitution restricts presidential and vice presidential candidates from coming from the same state. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker’s name was also floating around, particularly because he is enormously wealthy and has been quite successful raising money for the Democrats. He is the host governor for the convention.

What happens now? The convention is still several weeks away, and all eyes are on the Harris campaign now to see how much she can raise in the next 24 to 48 hours. That’s considered a litmus test on her ability to rally the base. Important donors are already lining up, including Wall Street executive Marc Lasry and venture capitalist and Netflix founder Reid Hoffman. Alexander Soros, son of mega Democratic donor George Soros, has also indicated their support for Harris.

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