Who will be Kamala Harris’ running mate? Here are the top contenders

As the focus shifts to Vice President Kamala Harris following US President Joe Biden’s withdrawal from the presidential race, the next task on her priority list will be to pick a running mate with only a few days left for the Democratic National Convention.

Pennsylvania Governor the frontrunner

While there are several contenders for the post, multiple polls have narrowed down on one name – Josh Shapiro – the Governor of Pennsylvania who has emerged as a frontrunner for the post.

According to a poll conducted by a betting site, details of which were released on July 21, Shapiro is leading with 7/4, and is followed by Roy Cooper, the Governor of North Carolina at 3/1 and Andy Beshear, the Governor of Kentucky at 5/1.

The poll also showed Republican candidate Donald Trump to be leading at 1/2 followed by Harris, suggesting the possibility of a close contest between the two in the general elections.

Seven Democrats under consideration

A report by USA Today also said that Harris’ presidential campaign has requested vetting materials from at least seven Democrats under consideration for the post. They include Shapiro, Cooper, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, US Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker.

While Beshear’s name is not mentioned in the list, reports quoting sources said he is being considered for the post. Cedric Richmond, a former congressman from Louisiana who served as top aide at the White House for Biden, is also being considered, reports said.

A poll conducted by The New York Times, taking inputs from 251 delegates, also revealed that Shapiro led the other contenders for Harris’ running mate.

NYT said 40 of the 250 delegates backed Shapiro while 28 were in favour of Kelly. At least 23 delegates wanted Beshear as the vice presidential candidate.

Who is Josh Shapiro?

Shapiro, 51, was born in Kansas City in Missouri to a paediatrician father who served in the navy and a mother who was a teacher. He majored in political science at the University of Rochester. He earned a Juris Doctor in 2002 from Georgetown University Law Center.

He made his political debut in 2004 after being elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. He was re-elected in 2006, 2008 and 2010.

Shapiro, who served as the Pennsylvania Attorney General in 2016 and 2020, contested unopposed as the Democratic primary form Pennsylvania and was sworn in as its 48th governor on January 17, 2023.

Why is he important for Harris?

Shapiro, who has been one of the governors to have backed Harris’ presidential nomination, can be an asset for her as Pennsylvania, a battleground state, played a crucial role in securing Biden his win in 2020 and former president Trump his victory in 2016.

The Harris campaign team is reportedly looking for a candidate who can best complement the vice president and help in reaching out to a different segment of voters, possibly from a different part of the country, to help her defeat Trump.

“When you have someone from California who’s a woman of color and has experience in Washington, then the obvious way to sort of balance it is to think about someone from a different part of the country, or from a battleground state,” USA Today quoted David Hopkins, a political science professor at Boston College as saying.

The Harris team could also be vetting for a candidate who would be a contrast to Trump’s running mate JD Vance.