US President Joe Bidenʼs decision to drop out of the race and endorse Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee leaves Harris with an important, immediate decision: who to choose as her running mate.
Reuters sources name seven candidates for this position, provided that they themselves will not apply for the presidential nomination.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear
Beshear, a Democrat, has had a successful political career in a predominantly Republican state that voted for Donald Trump in 2020. Beshear touted his accomplishments in creating jobs in Kentucky, supporting public education and expanding access to health care. As governor, he vetoed laws banning abortion and gender-affirming benefits for transgender youth, though those vetoes were overridden by the Republican-dominated Legislature.
US Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg
Buttigieg built a strong fan base among Democratic voters during his 2020 primary, where he faced off against Biden and Harris, winning the nationʼs first Iowa caucuses. Subsequently, he supported Biden and was elected to the government of the new administration in 2021. The former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, also has deep ties in Michigan, a critical state for Democrats in November.
North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper
Cooper has earned praise from Democrats for his strong focus on economic development and strong approval ratings in a politically competitive state that voted for Donald Trump in 2016 and 2020.
Arizona Senator Mark Kelly
Kelly is popular among the Democratic elite for his relatively moderate tone in Arizona, a state traditionally favored by Republicans but which Biden won in 2020. A former US Navy captain and astronaut, Kelly is also the husband of former House member Gabrielle Giffords, who was seriously injured in a 2011 shooting. The fight against gun violence is a major issue of the election campaign for Democrats.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro
Shapiro took office only last year, but is already considered the partyʼs rising star nationally. A lawyer by training, Shapiro worked as the attorney general of the state of Pennsylvania, which means he has similar legal experience to Harris, who worked as a prosecutor. He has a long history of defeating Republicans in elections in a state that Democrats believe they must win to secure victory in the November election.
Billionaire and governor of Illinois J. B. Pritzker
Actively supported Bidenʼs election campaign, using his financial resources from Hyatt hotels. He is also helping to organize the Democratic convention in Chicago, scheduled for August.
Governor of Michigan Gretchen Whitmer
Whitmer has built a strong base in the highly competitive state of Michigan with a direct approach and pressing issues. In 2020, she was considered as a running mate before Biden chose Harris. She was a major supporter of Bidenʼs reelection.
A Harris-Whitmer nomination would be the first all-female nomination in a major US political party, which could play a key role in an election where womenʼs reproductive rights are a major issue.
Presidential elections in the USA
This yearʼs presidential election in the USA will be held on November 5, 2024. This will be the 60th presidential election in the countryʼs history, during which the 47th president of the United States will be elected. Donald Trump has already become the Republican candidate, and the Democratic National Convention will be held on August 19-22 in Chicago. There, the party will nominate its candidate in the elections.
After an unsuccessful debate with Trump in June, 81-year-old Joe Biden met with a wide wave of criticism. The media wrote that he was too old for the presidency. On July 3, CNN wrote that some of the leaders of the US Democratic Party want Joe Biden to withdraw from the presidential election. Lloyd Doggett, a member of the House of Representatives, was the first to publicly make such a call. House Democratic Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer also called on Biden to withdraw from the race.
On July 21, Biden officially declared that he was leaving the presidential race. He endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee. Harrisʼ candidacy still needs to be approved by Democratic Party delegates at the August convention.