Thursday, July 11, 2024 - Aides to US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris‘ campaign team have already picked out at least three Democrats who could serve as Harris's running mate should Biden drop out of the 2024 presidential election.
The New York Times reports that as Biden, 81, continues to
face pressure to end his re-election bid, people close to the effort revealed
that a shortlist of potential VP's is already being compiled just in case the
incumbent chooses to exit the ticket,
The report says that at the top of the list are Governors
Roy Cooper of North Carolina, Andy Beshear of Kentucky and Josh Shapiro of
Pennsylvania, with Cooper the clear front-runner, according to the outlet.
The insiders explained that as the first woman of colour to
be a major party’s presidential nominee, Harris’ ideal running mate should be a
white man who could appeal to conservative-inclined voters.
Cooper, 67, was elected North Carolina governor in 2016,
removing Republican incumbent Pat McCrory, and was re-elected in 2020 beating
other Democrats on the ballot in a state won twice by former President Donald
Trump.
Cooper and Harris also have a personal connection, having
worked with each other when they served as attorneys general in North Carolina
and California respectively.
Beshear, 46, also a former state attorney general, could get
votes for Harris after winning re-election in deep-red Kentucky last year.
Shapiro, 51, another former state attorney general, could
also get the swing state of Pennsylvania for Harris, but he’s been in office
for just 18 months.
Harris has not made any public suggestions that she would
seek the Democratic nomination, Saying in public that she supports Biden.
“We always knew this election
would be tough — and the past few days have been a reminder that running for
president of the United States is never easy,” Harris told a crowd of
supporters in Las Vegas on Tuesday.
But the one thing we know
about our president, Joe Biden, is that he is a fighter,” she added.
Meanwhile, Biden on Tuesday said he won't be dropping out of
the race and would defeat Trump at the polls.
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