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【Text/Lin Zhaonan, Observer Network】

On Sunday afternoon (21st) local time, after US President Biden announced his withdrawal from the race, current Vice President Kamala Harris began her campaign as a potential presidential candidate. Although Harris has not yet been officially nominated, Biden's support has put her in the lead among potential competitors, which has also sparked speculation about her running mate.

After Biden announced his withdrawal from the race, the New York Times reported that Harris quickly gained support from many members of the party and well-known Democrats, including former President Clinton and Hillary Clinton, the 2016 Democratic presidential candidate nominee. This gave her an advantage in the early stages of the campaign.

However, so far, the Democratic leaders of both houses of the U.S. Congress - Senator Chuck Schumer and House Speaker Hakeem Jeffries, as well as former President Obama and former House Speaker Pelosi have not expressed support for her, and some Democrats are still in a "wait-and-see" state.

This did not prevent various parties from starting to speculate on her possible running mate. US media pointed out that from a historical perspective, the selection of vice presidential candidates mainly considers complementarity with the presidential candidate. For example, Biden chose Harris because of her youth, minority identity and legal background.

Therefore, the predictions for Harris' vice presidential pick are mainly based on her personal characteristics. Harris is from California (a "blue state"), where the Democratic Party is dominant, so she may choose a candidate from a "swing state" (a "purple state") where the political tendency is not obvious, or a "red state" where the Republican Party is dominant. As a minority, she may follow Obama's practice of choosing Biden in 2008 and choose a white partner.

The U.S. website Politico quoted a Democratic strategist close to the White House as saying that the key question in choosing a vice president is: "Who can beat Trump in his hometown?" He also said, "Fortunately, Harris has many excellent choices."

Taking all factors into consideration, multiple media outlets, including the Associated Press, Axios, Politico, ABC, The Hill, and Vox, have made predictions on this issue. The results are basically consistent, focusing on the following eight candidates (in no particular order).

Josh Shapiro, current governor of Pennsylvania

Shapiro, 51, has served as governor since 2023, and prior to that he served as Pennsylvania's attorney general, a county commissioner and a member of the state House of Representatives since 2017.

Current Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro IC Photo

Pennsylvania, where he is located, is an important "swing state" in the general election and is likely to determine the outcome. Trump's campaign team has said that the state will be the core of their campaign. If Harris chooses him as the vice presidential candidate, she may gain additional votes in the state.

Last year, Shapiro gained national attention for his handling of a train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, which affected his home state of Pennsylvania.

He expressed his support for Harris' candidacy on Sunday and called on the Democratic Party to unite behind her, saying: "I have known Kamala Harris for nearly twenty years. We have both been prosecutors. We have both stood up for the rule of law. We have both fought for the people and achieved results." He wrote on the "X", "Kamala Harris is a patriot who deserves our support."

Mark Kelly, current Arizona Senator

Kelly, 60, who has been a senator since 2020 and previously served as a NASA astronaut and U.S. Navy pilot, is considered by Democratic strategists and donors to be one of the most qualified contenders to be Harris' running mate.

Current Arizona Senator Mark Kelly IC Photo

He has won two elections in the swing state of Arizona, which is enough to prove his ability. In addition, the state is also a border state, so he has a big say on immigration issues - this is an advantage for the Democratic Party, which has been attacked by Republicans on immigration issues.

Kelly is a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and the Joint Economic Committee and has advocated for military aid to Ukraine and Israel, according to his personal website.

After Biden announced his withdrawal and turned to support Harris, he said, "I am very confident that Vice President Harris is the right person to defeat Donald Trump and lead our country into the future." He wrote on the "X" that he and his wife would "do everything" to help her win the election.

Gretchen Whitmer, current governor of Michigan

Whitmer, 52, has served as governor since 2019. Prior to that, she served in the Michigan House of Representatives and Senate. She has been considered a potential contender for the 2028 election since she won the gubernatorial race in 2022 by nearly 11 percentage points.

Gretchen Whitmer, current governor of Michigan

Michigan, where she is located, is an important "swing state" in the general election. Winning the state is the key to Biden's election in 2020. Hillary lost the state by a narrow margin in 2016.

But in a statement after Biden announced his withdrawal, Whitmer sidestepped the possibility of higher office, writing: "My job in this election will remain the same: do everything I can to elect Democrats and stop Donald Trump, a convicted felon. His agenda is to raise the cost of living, ban abortion nationwide, and abuse the power of the White House to clean up his own mess, which is exactly wrong for Michigan."

If she is chosen as Harris' vice presidential candidate, it will be the first all-female general election combination in American history.

Andy Beshear, current governor of Kentucky

Beshear, 46, was elected in 2019 as one of the youngest governors in the country and won re-election last November by 5 percentage points. His two elections were major victories for the Democratic Party, considering that the state overwhelmingly supported Trump in both the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections.

Current Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear IC Photo

He comes from a political family in Kentucky. His father, Steve Beshear, is also a Democrat and the winner of the state's gubernatorial elections in 2007 and 2011.

He said earlier this month that he would support Biden's re-election campaign as long as Biden remains the Democratic nominee, sidestepping questions about whether he has considered replacing Biden.

"While his decision today was not easy, it is in the best interest of our country and our party," Beshear said on Sunday after Biden announced his withdrawal from the race. "Now is the time for our country to unite. We need to reduce the anger, the resentment, and the noise."

On Sunday evening (21st) local time, people familiar with the matter told CNN that Beshear had a phone call with Harris that day.

Roy Cooper, current governor of North Carolina

Cooper, 67, has been governor of North Carolina since 2017 and is unable to run again this year due to term limits. Prior to that, he served as the state's attorney general for 16 years and in both the North Carolina Senate and House of Representatives.

Current North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper IC Photo

His state of North Carolina was won by Trump by less than two percentage points in 2020, after which the Biden campaign has invested heavily in efforts to make it a "swing state" again. Harris has visited the state at least six times this year, and if she chooses Cooper as her vice presidential candidate, it may help flip the state's election situation.

According to CNN, Cooper said in an interview in 2020 that he and Harris had both served as attorneys general and had maintained a "very good relationship," which continued until Harris became vice president.

Earlier this month, Cooper shrugged off talk of a replacement candidate, calling it “the kind of speculation we don’t need right now.” Last Thursday, he praised Harris for “doing her job” at a rally where the two appeared.

JB Pritzker, current governor of Illinois

Pritzker, 59, was first elected governor of Illinois in 2019 and won re-election in 2022. With a net worth of about $3.5 billion, he is the richest incumbent politician in the United States, an heir to the Hyatt Hotels Corporation, a former private equity investor and philanthropist.

Current Illinois Governor JB Pritzker Network

He is also a strong supporter of abortion rights within the Democratic Party, investing hundreds of thousands of dollars into advocacy groups focused on abortion rights, an issue that is also at the center of Harris' campaign with the Democratic Party.

He has actively attacked Trump since his first term. In his statement responding to Biden's withdrawal from the race, Pritzker did not express his support for Harris, but instead pointed the finger at Trump, accusing Trump of being a "felon," "a sexual offender," "a racist," "a homophobe and a misogynist," and "a threat to the fundamental American ideals we cherish."

Pritzker is also the host of next month's Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

Wes Moore, current governor of Maryland

Moore, 45, who will become Maryland's first black governor in 2023 and is widely seen as a potential candidate for future president, has a rich resume as a best-selling author, Rhodes Scholar, military veteran and former CEO of the anti-poverty organization Robin Hood Foundation.

Current Maryland Governor Wes Moore IC Photo

The governor gained national attention for his response to the collapse of the Baltimore Harbor Bridge earlier this year, but he still lacks the experience and ability to run a national political campaign.

After Biden announced his withdrawal from the race, he wrote on the "X", "President Biden has dedicated his life and career to serving the American people. His hard work, dedication, optimism, and strength have shaped the trajectory of our country and made us better off as a people and a country."

Pete Buttigieg is now the U.S. Secretary of Transportation

Buttigieg, 42, was a participant in the 2020 Democratic primary, competing against Biden. Prior to that, while serving as mayor of South Bend, Indiana, he cultivated a large number of followers under the nickname "Mayor Pete."

Current U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg IC Photo

After Biden was elected, he entered the cabinet and was appointed Secretary of Transportation, and at the same time became the first openly gay cabinet member in the United States.

His national name recognition and age are two important advantages, especially considering Trump's choice of 39-year-old Vance as his vice presidential pick.

After Biden dropped out of the race and endorsed Harris, he wrote on “X” that Harris was “the right person to take up the torch, defeat Donald Trump, and succeed Joe Biden as president.”

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