Aides to President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign have named at least three Democrats as possible running mates for Biden if he were to drop out of the 2024 presidential race.
Biden, 81, remains under pressure to remain committed to his reelection bid, but aides have revealed that a list of potential number two candidates is already being compiled in case the incumbent drops out of the race, The New York Times reports.
According to the outlet, Governors Roy Cooper of North Carolina, Andy Beshear of Kentucky and Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania topped the list, with Cooper being the clear frontrunner.
As the first woman of color to become a major party’s presidential nominee, Harris’ ideal running mate would be a white man who could appeal to conservative voters, aides said.
Cooper, 67, was elected governor of North Carolina in 2016, defeating Republican incumbent Pat McCrory, and was re-elected in 2020, outvoting any other Democratic candidate in a state won twice by former President Donald Trump.
Cooper and Harris also have a personal connection, having worked together while serving as attorneys general of their respective states.
Beshear, 46, is a former state attorney general who was re-elected last year in Kentucky, a strongly Republican state, and could help garner votes for Harris.
Shapiro, 51, also a former state attorney general, could help swing the battleground state of Pennsylvania to Harris’ advantage, but with only 18 months in office, it’s difficult to gauge his impact on the race.
The three governors’ offices did not immediately respond to The Washington Post’s request for comment on whether they were on the list.
Harris has not publicly indicated she plans to seek the Democratic nomination, choosing to endorse Biden.
“We 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 supporters in Las Vegas on Tuesday.
“But one thing we know about President Joe Biden is that he’s a warrior,” she added.
Despite growing calls from members of his own party for him to step down, the president has repeatedly said he has no plans to stop campaigning.
