Who could be Kamala Harris’ vice presidential pick? Here are the top names

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As soon as vice-president Kamala Harris announced she would “win” her party’s Presidential nomination, the race for her running mate began.
With a little over three months until November’s election, who she chooses to campaign with will be critical to winning crucial votes against Republican candidate Donald Trump.
David Smith, associate professor at the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney, said while Harris’ nomination has scrambled Trump’s anti-Biden agenda, it gives the Democrats a great chance to recalibrate.

“Democrats do have an opportunity to create a really fresh ticket which could motivate people who otherwise might’ve avoided the race altogether,” he told SBS News.

In the 24 hours since announcing she’ll run as a presidential nominee, other Democratic hopefuls have been quick to endorse her candidacy and rally behind her.

Experts say a vice president would ideally be a “candidate from one of the swing states”. So who are the front runners?

One of the benefits of an all-female ticket could be that it moves the election right back onto reproductive rights, which is by far the Democrat’s strongest issue in this election

David Smith

Gretchen Whitmer

Gretchen Whitmer is the governor of Michigan, a key swing state for the election, offering 15 of the 270 electoral college votes needed to elect the President.
The 52-year-old Democratic star has strong national recognition and has been outspoken on issues of abortion rights, infrastructure and health care.

“One of the benefits of an all-female ticket could be that it moves the election right back onto reproductive rights, which is by far the Democrat’s strongest issue in this election,” Smith said.

A woman in a green puffer vest talks into a microphone, in front of a large flag of the United States/

Donald Trump won Whitmer’s seat of Michigan by less than 11,000 votes in 2016, the narrowest margin of victory in the state’s presidential election history. Source: Getty / Brandon Bell

“Trump not only didn’t choose a woman as his vice presidential candidate, he chose a man who has supported a national abortion ban and has supported a postal ban on abortion drugs so quite an extremist by American standards.”

Others like Morgan Rees, lecturer in Policy and Politics at Queensland University of Technology School of Justice, said Whitmer is unlikely.

Rees said it would be a “double barrier” for a presidential candidate already having to overcome “some major racial and socialistic obstacles just to get across alone”.

Josh Shapiro

Rodrigo Praino, Professor of politics and policy at Flinders University, puts “most his confidence into Josh Shapiro”, the governor of Pennsylvania.

Praino explained the 51-year-old former attorney general and country commissioner is very popular in Pennsylvania, a swing state with 16 electoral college votes.

A man in a navy suit and a woman in a beige suit talk to a group of reporters, huddled around them with phones.

Vice President Kamala Harris was in Pennsylvania with Governor Josh Shapiro earlier this month. Source: Getty / Ryan Collerd

“Being able to secure Pennsylvania is one of the possible ways to secure the White House,” Praino, the Director of the Jeff Bleich Centre for Democracy and Disruptive Technologies told SBS News.

Smith said Shapiro also has appeal with Trump voters, pointing to May polling by the Inquirer which showed more than a third of Republicans, 42 per cent, approved of his leadership.

Shapiro, who is Jewish, is also a staunch backer of Israel which could divide voters.

Mark Kelly

As a former NASA astronaut, Mark Kelly has the potential to captivate the imagination of voters with his “compelling story”, said Smith.

A bald man talking into a microphone, with a blue jacket that has NASA and navy officer stickers.

The former astronaut would be a popular Democratic choice. Source: Getty / Mike Coppola

The 60-year-old senator from Arizona, a battleground that holds 11 electoral college votes, is a former Navy officer who is respected for his work and scientific expertise.

The hotly contested state borders Mexico and has traditionally favoured Republicans, but Biden won the state in 2020.

Kelly has been an advocate for gun reform after his wife, former US representative Gabby Giffords, was left severely injured by a shooting.

Pete Buttigieg

Pete Buttigieg, Biden administration’s transport secretary, is also a frontrunner.

At 42, the previous mayor of South Bend in Indiana is the youngest choice, which could appeal to centrist and midwest voters.

A man with short hair smiles, with his mouth closed.

The US Secretary of Transportation is 36 years younger than Republican candidate Donald Trump. Source: Getty / Kent Nishimura

Smith said he’s media savvy and often performs well on conservative shows like Fox News, to the delight of Democrats.

“If he was the vice presidential candidate, he would be the first openly gay man on a presidential ticket in the United States,” Smith said.

“Perhaps the drawback with him is that in the past, he hasn’t done very well with minority voters, and certainly getting minority voters back is one of the real priorities for the Democratic party.”

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