Report: Harris Vetting Around a Dozen Potential VP Picks

Vice President Kamala Harris has a list of 12 potential running mates to vet as she begins her presidential campaign, according to a Thursday CBS report. The report gave no indication of who might be selected, but stated that the Harris campaign “is casting a wide net at the start of this process and isn’t winnowing the list yet.”

The current list includes swing-state governors, such as Roy Cooper (D-NC), Josh Shapiro (D-PA), Gretchen Whitmer (D-MI), and Andy Beshear (D-KY), as well as blue-state governors, such as Tim Walz (D-MN) and J.B. Pritzker (D-IL). 

Of these, Whitmer has denied claims that she is being considered and shot down the idea of being the vice-presidential nominee. “I am not interested in doing other than this job for the next two and a half years,” Whitmer told reporters on tuesday, throwing cold water on the idea that she would want to move on from Michigan’s governorship

The shortlist also contains a single lawmaker, Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ), who is currently significantly favored on the betting markets, as well as members of Joe Biden’s cabinet, including Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigeg.

The process must be completed by August 7 to comply with Ohio election law, which requires that both candidates on a presidential ticket be nominated 90 days before the November election.