President Joe Biden endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to replace him as the Democratic Party’s 2024 nominee on Sunday, July 21. Now, there is speculation surrounding who Harris will choose as her running mate if she locks down the nomination at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in August.
Several names have been floated.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro.
Shapiro quickly threw his support behind Harris after Biden’s announcement.
“The road to victory in November runs right through Pennsylvania — where this collective work began,” he posted on X. “I will do everything I can to help elect Kamala Harris as the 47th president of the United States.”
Shapiro served as his state’s attorney general before defeating Republican Doug Mastriano in Pennsylvania’s 2022 gubernatorial race.
The swing state governor noted that he has known Harris for more than two decades as they’ve both been prosecutors who have “fought for the people.”
Shapiro, who is Jewish, has been vocal in his public support for Israel in its war against Hamas.
Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly
60-year-old Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, a combat veteran and former astronaut, is a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee. Kelly was first elected to the Senate in a special election in 2020 and then again in 2022.
“I couldn’t be more confident that Vice President @KamalaHarris is the right person to defeat Donald Trump and lead our country into the future,” Kelly posted to X on Sunday. “She has my support for the nomination, and [my wife] and I will do everything we can to elect her president of the United States.”
The swing state senator is married to former Arizona Rep. Gabby Giffords who was shot in 2011 and survived the attempted assassination.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg gained notoriety as “Mayor Pete” after running for president in 2020.
Buttigieg, 42, served in the Navy and was deployed to Afghanistan. He also endorsed Harris quickly after Biden’s announcement
“I will do all that I can to help her win this election to lead America forward as our next president,” Buttigieg said on X.
As transportation secretary, Buttigieg has overseen several of the government’s handling of transportation disasters, including the East Palestine, Ohio, train derailment, and global supply chain snarls related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear
Another name that could appear beside Harris on the ticket is Democratic Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear.
A two-time Democratic governor in a red state, 46-year-old Beshear endorsed Harris as the party’s nominee Monday, July 22. In an appearance on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” he was asked about the possibility of becoming Harris’ running mate.
“Let me first say I love my job,” Gov. Beshear said. “I love serving the people of Kentucky. The only way I would consider something other than this current job is if I believed I could further help my people and to help this country.”
Other names include: Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
Both Newsom and Whitmer have reportedly told senior party leaders that they are not interested in becoming Harris’ running mate.
The Democratic National Convention gets underway Aug. 19.
