Aides to President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris‘ campaign team have already picked out at least three Democrats who could serve as the veep’s running mate should Biden drop out of the 2024 presidential election.
As Biden, 81, continues to face pressure to end his re-election bid, people close to the effort revealed that a shortlist of potential number twos is already being compiled just in case the incumbent chooses to exit the ticket, the New York Times reports.
At the top of the list are Govs. Roy Cooper of North Carolina, Andy Beshear of Kentucky and Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, with Cooper the clear front-runner, according to the outlet.
The insiders explained that as the first woman of color to be a major party’s presidential nominee, Harris’ ideal running mate should be a white man who can appeal to conservative-inclined voters.
Cooper, 67, was elected North Carolina governor in 2016, ousting Republican incumbent Pat McCrory, and was re-elected in 2020 — outperforming other Democrats on the ballot in a state won twice by former President Donald Trump.
Cooper and Harris also have a personal connection, having worked with each other when they served as attorneys general for their respective states.
Beshear, 46, also a former state attorney general, could help draw votes for Harris after winning re-election in deep-red Kentucky last year.
Shapiro, 51, another former state attorney general, could also help lock up the swing state of Pennsylvania for Harris, but his impact on the ticket is harder to measure given he’s been in office for just 18 months.
The offices of the three governors did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment about their place on the alleged list.
Harris has not made any public suggestions that she would seek the Democratic nomination, choosing to stick by Biden.
“We always 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 a crowd of supporters in Las Vegas on Tuesday.
“But the one thing we know about our president, Joe Biden, is that he is a fighter,” she added.
Despite mounting calls from members of his own party to step down, the president has repeatedly stated that he has no plans to end his campaign.