What to know about Kamala Harris’ top VP contenders ahead of announcement
TheGrio breaks down the latest on Harris' search and key facts about the top five Democratic vice presidential prospects.
All eyes are on Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris as she weighs a short list of vetted candidates being considered for her vice presidential running mate. Harris is expected to make the announcement ahead of her Tuesday evening rally in Philadelphia. She and her VP pick will then hit the campaign trail in six other battleground states.
Several names have emerged since Harris launched her campaign on July 21. Among political circles, contenders included Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, and North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper. However, all three leaders declined to be considered for the job.
Moore, a rising star in the Democratic Party who was elected Maryland’s first Black governor in 2022, said, “I’m not interested in doing anything else except being the governor of the state of Maryland.”
Whitmer, who could have helped Harris fulfill an all-female dream ticket, told CBS that she is not “part of the vetting” and would remain as governor until the end of her term in 2026. Michigan’s first female governor, who is a co-chair of the Harris campaign, will instead continue to stump for Harris on the ground.
Cooper, who shares a close relationship with Harris, removed himself from the vetting list over concerns about his Republican lieutenant governor, Mark Robinson. TheGrio previously reported on Robinson’s controversial bid for governor in the 2024 election.
Under North Carolina state law, when the governor is out of town, the lieutenant governor takes over the office’s responsibilities. Cooper called Robinson “the most extreme statewide candidate in the country” and expressed worries about Robinson using the opportunity as acting governor to boost his campaign and cause a “distraction” to the election.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom was also frequently name-dropped among Democratic circles; however, he would present a risk for Harris due to a constitutional amendment. According to the U.S. Constitution, Electoral College electors can’t cast a vote for both a presidential and a vice presidential candidate from their state.
In the end, only a handful of names are reportedly still in consideration by Harris and her team. Some of them met with Harris at her residence in Washington, D.C. over the weekend. The vice president has hosted briefings on each candidate from a team of advisers that includes former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder; her husband, Doug Emoff, and her brother-in-law, Tony West, who was an assistant attorney general under Holder during the Obama administration.
The list of contenders, all white men, consists of leaders who present political achievements and backgrounds considered as needed ingredients to improve Harris’ electoral chances in November. Here’s what you should know about the top five picks.
Josh Shapiro
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro has been the most covered candidate under consideration by Harris and her campaign team. Though he’s only been in office for less than two years, Shapiro is widely popular in what is considered the most important battleground state for either presidential candidate.
Some political experts believe that Shapiro would guarantee Pennsylvania’s 19 electoral votes for Harris and potentially Wisconsin and Michigan. Winning those states would shore up the “blue wall” that brought President Joe Biden victory in 2020. At 51, Shapiro is seen as someone who complements Harris as representing a new generation of leadership for the Democratic Party and the country.
“In the moments where the spotlight has come to him, he has done a good job,” Democratic strategist Joel Payne told theGrio. Payne pointed to Shapiro’s leadership in repairing an I-95 bridge collapse as a result of a fiery tanker truck crash. He also noted Shapiro was commended for how he handled the aftermath of the attempted assassination of Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee.
Prior to being elected governor in 2022, Shapiro served as the state’s attorney general and as a member of the state House of Representatives. He also worked as a staffer on Capitol Hill before being elected. Shapiro is Jewish, a likely connection for Harris, as her husband, Emoff, is also Jewish. Shapiro is among the three reported running mate choices who met with Harris on Sunday.
Mark Kelly
Sen. Mark Kelly, with a resume as a former astronaut and military veteran, is seen as one of the more impressive choices for Harris. As a NASA space shuttle pilot, he led space missions in the 2000s. He also flew combat missions as a Navy aviator during the Gulf War.
In 2020, Kelly was able to flip a Republican seat in Arizona, marking the first time since 1953 that the purple state elected two Democrats at once. Kelly, 60, is seen as a good strategic choice for Harris to fend off attacks from Trump and Republicans about the Biden-Harris administration’s handling of immigration at the U.S. border.
Kelly is also the husband of former Rep. Gabby Giffords, who survived an assassination attempt in 2011. Political strategists believe the senator’s personal story about nearly losing his wife could bolster Harris’ campaign message on the need to enact stricter gun safety laws. Kelly is among the three reported running mate contenders who met with Harris on Sunday.
Tim Walz
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz unexpectedly emerged as a favorite among Democrats (and within the Harris orbit) due to his public takedowns of Trump. Walz notably coined the “weird” phrase that Democrats, including Harris, have used in recent days to describe Trump and his vice presidential running mate, JD Vance.
The 60-year-old governor was elected in 2018 and served 12 years in the U.S. House of Representatives. He also represents the Midwest, which could appeal to large swaths of the voting electorate.
As a former congressman, Walz is backed by a number of House Democrats who worked alongside him in Congress and see his experience on Capitol Hill as an asset to Harris as she negotiates with Congress while governing from the White House. Members of Congress like Sen. Bernie Sanders, D-Vt., and Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., chair of the House Progressive Caucus, noted Walz’s record supporting labor workers could be critical to winning over working-class voters. Walz is among the three reported running mate prospects who met with Harris on Sunday.
Andy Beshear
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear is a highly popular Democratic governor in a red state. He is part of a political dynasty in the state and is beloved by Kentuckians. His father, Steve Beshear, served as governor for two terms.
According to a July Morning Consult poll, Beshear, 46, is the most popular Democratic governor in the country. Beshear was easily reelected for a second term last year, beating former Attorney General Daniel Cameron, a close ally to Sen. Mitch McConnell. His appeal to Democrats, Republicans and independents is seen as a strength that could bolster Harris’ candidacy.
“He allays the fears of crazy white people,” political analyst Sophia Nelson told theGrio.
Prior to serving as governor, Beshear was the state attorney general and a corporate lawyer.
Pete Buttigieg
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is the only top VP contender serving in the Biden-Harris administration. The 42-year-old is also the only one on Harris’ top list who knows what it’s like to run a presidential campaign, which means he’s already vetted and battle-tested on the national stage.
The former mayor of South Bend, Indiana is a Democratic darling who is respected for his oratory skills and Harvard and Oxford education. As head of the nation’s federal transportation agency, Buttigieg has gained popularity since the days of his 2020 campaign. His frequent appearances on the conservative Fox News cable network have showcased his strength as a surrogate for the administration and fueled speculation that he would someday run again for president.
As an openly gay man who is married with children, Buttigieg would also add more diversity to the Harris ticket. Latosha Brown of the Black Voters Matter Fund said the Democratic Party needs to move in a different direction from the current crop of straight white men.
Brown argued Harris’ candidacy is “evidence that voters want a New America – not defined by gender or race or sex – but one that really represents all of us at our best.”
“The traditional, straight Christian white man as the epitome of American leadership can no longer be the default,” she added.
Democratic strategist Ameshia Cross decried the “tearing down” of Harris and “pot shots” aimed at Buttigieg and his family as “disgusting.” And those actions are “proof positive that America has a long way to go in not only its acceptance of diversity,” she told theGrio, “but also its acceptance of allowing leadership, policy frameworks and strength to be ahead of what the right would consider traditional values.”
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