JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Vice President Kamala Harris is zeroing in on four potential candidates as she races to choose a running mate for her fledgling campaign, fast-tracking a process that usually takes months but must be finalized in only a few weeks.
Eric Holder, the former U.S. attorney general, and a team of lawyers at his firm Covington & Burling are taking the lead on vetting potential choices, according to two people with knowledge of the matter who requested anonymity because the process is being closely held.
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The political conversation has centered on an assortment of state governors and one senator:
- Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro
- Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear
- North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper
- Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, who is also an astronaut
New4JAX asked voters if they were familiar with these names. It was a mixed crowd, with some people recognizing the names and others saying they were unfamiliar.
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Florida State College at Jacksonville science professor Daniel Cronrath noted that all the top contenders for Harris’ running mate come from swing states.
“What we need to identify is the swing states in which these individuals would be more helpful,” Cronrath said. “Young. Very, very popular. An approval rating of almost 60%. There would be a calculation there he could help her win that state.”
Another point that will be taken into account is the potential candidates’ backgrounds.
“There’s still going to be a tremendous amount of vetting,” Cronrath said. “I think there are pros in the Democratic Party that can perform this vet very quickly.”
There are also a few other names that were circulated such as Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and California Gov. Gavin Newsom.
The list of possibilities could expand or shift. But Harris, who has locked up the delegates she will need to be the Democratic nominee, hopes to finish the process in time for delegates to also vote on her running mate when they hold a virtual roll call vote in the first few days of August, ahead of the Democratic National Convention.