Who Is Harris's Running Mate?..."Possible Swing State Politician"

6 to 7 People Mentioned Including Versier, Cooper, and Shapiro

On the 21st (local time), U.S. President Joe Biden, who announced his withdrawal from the presidential race, declared his support for Vice President Kamala Harris, drawing attention to who her running mate might be.

On the same day, political media outlet The Hill identified key figures who could be selected as Vice President Harris's potential running mates, including Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, and California Governor Gavin Newsom. The Hill observed, "While President Biden's endorsement does not guarantee Vice President Harris's official nomination as the presidential candidate, it is clear that she is a strong contender."

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

The foremost mentioned vice presidential candidate is Governor Beshear. He is currently one of the most popular governors in the Democratic Party, having secured re-election in Kentucky, a conservative stronghold in the U.S., thereby gaining nationwide recognition. At 46 years old this year, if Governor Beshear joins Vice President Harris, it is expected that they could effectively appeal to voters with a 'young' candidate image.

Governors Whitmer and Shapiro are considered cards that could win votes in battleground states. Governor Whitmer, who won twice in the battleground state of Michigan, is also known as the figure former President Trump referred to as "that woman from Michigan," showing his wariness. Governor Shapiro recently attracted media attention by delivering a message of unity rather than political division regarding the assassination attempt on former President Trump. Both have expressed their support for Vice President Harris as the Democratic presidential candidate.

Governor Cooper, known to have a close relationship with Vice President Harris, was consecutively elected governor in North Carolina, a state won by former President Trump in 2016 and 2020. Secretary Buttigieg scores points for his experience running in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary and serving in the cabinet over the past four years. Governor Pritzker, a former private equity executive and heir to the Hyatt hotel fortune, has the advantage of being able to self-fund his campaign with assets worth $3.5 billion.

Governor Newsom has the advantage of backing from a broad immigrant-based support base in California, a traditional Democratic stronghold like Vice President Harris. However, the U.S. Constitution restricts the president and vice president from running from the same state, which poses a problem. The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) predicted, "Since Vice President Harris represents California, where Democratic competition is not intense, she is likely to select a running mate from a battleground state."