President Joe Biden suddenly stood down as the Democratic candidate in the American election on Sunday, putting an end to weeks of feverish speculation.
A few minutes after his announcement, Biden endorsed his Vice President Kamala Harris as his pick for the Democratic candidate. Harris was then swiftly backed by Bill and Hillary Clinton, alongside many other party bigwigs putting her far ahead in the race. Given she looks likely to prevail, who is Harris likely to choose as her running mate?
Mark Kelly
Senator Mark Kelly, 60, has an interesting backstory: he used to be an astronaut. Before entering politics, Kelly was a pilot, and took part in combat missions during the Gulf War. He then joined NASA, where he flew on the space shuttle. He also entered politics somewhat against his will: in 2011, his wife Gabrielle Giffords, who was a House of Representatives member, was shot in the head while meeting with constituents in Tucson. Six people died, and Giffords was left with brain injuries, and had to retire. Kelly then started his own political career, and has had success in Arizona, a traditionally Republican state. The duo have backed changes to gun laws, and both backed Harris in her run for the nomination.
Roy Cooper
North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper, 67, has a history of winning elections in traditionally Republican strongholds. He is a strong advocate of public education and abortion rights. Cooper was a high school quarterback, and then worked at his father’s law firm after his law degree. He served as attorney general for his state from 2000, a position he held for 16 years. Cooper and his wife, Kristin, have three grown daughters. He’s known Harris since they were attorney generals at the same time – she in California. Cooper has already said: “she has what it takes to defeat Donald Trump and lead our country thoughtfully and with integrity”.
Josh Shapiro
Josh Shapiro, 51, is Pennsylvania Governor, and has been a strong defender of Biden and critic of Trump over the past four years. Despite personal animosity, he was praised for his statesmanlike response to the Trump assassination attempt in his state. Shapiro has professed solidarity with Israel in its drive to eliminate Hamas. If he wins, he would become the second vice presidential nominee with a Jewish background. He was quick to back Harris, saying they have known each other for two decades.
Pete Buttigieg
Known as ‘Mayor Pete’ for his time in office for South Bend, Indiana, former naval officer Buttigieg gained national fame when he ran and lost against Joe Biden for the Democratic nomination in 2020. However, he became the first openly gay candidate to win a presidential primary or caucus when he triumphed in Iowa, and is now the Secretary of Transportation. His father Joseph was a leading academic on Antonio Gramsci, the Italian Marxist thinker. Buttigieg has backed Harris, saying she is the “right person to take up the torch”, and saying he will “do all I can to help elect” her as the next president.
Wes Moore
Maryland governor Moore only won office in 2022, but gained national attention as he led the state's response to the deadly Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in March. Before working in politics, he was in the Army, serving in Afghanistan. As a Rhodes Scholar visiting Oxford University, he wrote a thesis on the rise of radical Islam. He had a tough upbringing, as his father died when he was three – and his mother sent him to military school when he started to dabble in petty crime. Since his announcement, Moore has paid tribute to Biden, calling him a "stalwart ally and tireless friend" to Maryland, but hasn’t yet backed Harris. He has previously said he would not pursue the Democratic nomination if Biden stepped aside.
Andy Beshear
Andy Beshear is Kentucky Governor, and has a reputation for winning votes he wouldn’t have been expected to in a Republican-leaning state. He focuses on the concerns of ordinary Americans, and leading the response to tornadoes and flooding in the state. He also holds regular news conferences to get his message across. He says his Christian faith guides his politics. Previously an attorney, Beshear's father was two-term Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear. Unlike other highly tipped runners, Beshear has not yet endorsed Harris.
J.B. Pritzker
Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, 58, is an heir to the Hyatt fortune – the Chicago based hotel group. His net worth of $3.4 billion makes him the richest politician holding office in the U.S. Having been re-elected in a normally Republican state, Pritzker has been praised for balancing budgets in his Illinois, and increased education funding. If he doesn’t run himself, he’s been highly tipped as a possible Vice President for Harris too. Pritzker has issued a statement praising Biden and slamming Trump – saying “I will work every day to ensure that he does not win in November” – but hasn’t explicitly backed Harris yet.
Gretchen Whitmer
Gretchen Whitmer is Governor for Michigan, and has gained prominence over the past decade. The 52-year-old gave the Democratic response to Donald Trump’s 2020 State of the Union address, and criticised him for his response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Near the end of that year, the FBI uncovered a plot to kidnap her, which led to nine men either being convicted by jury or pleading guilty. In her 2022 reelection campaign as Governor, Whitmer focused on reproductive rights, fighting for abortion rights. Whitmer did say earlier this month that she would not try to be the candidate this year if Biden were to step aside. She is currently on a national press tour for her new memoir.
