Whitmer says she wouldn’t rule out being Kamala Harris’s running mate

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D-MI) said Tuesday that she would not rule out the possibility of being the 2024 running mate for Vice President Kamala Harris should President Joe Biden step down.

The Michigan governor praised Harris as “an incredibly capable vice president,” and explained that her potentially replacing Biden on the 2024 Democratic ticket would be “the natural conclusion.” When asked if she had any interest in running as Harris’s vice president, she said she has never looked at political positions in Washington, D.C., “with a lot of excitement,” citing her love for state politics.

“But, you know, I’ll never say never, but that’s not something I am angling for,” Whitmer said on ABC’s The View, noting how she made a commitment to finish her gubernatorial term.

Whitmer also reiterated her denial to a report she told Biden’s campaign that Michigan, a major swing state, is no longer winnable. She explained that winning the state for the Democratic Party would “not be easy,” and that one candidate trailing by 2 points should not be cause for either celebration or concern.

Whitmer is among the Democratic governors who are backing Biden, despite growing concerns about the president’s electability after the first presidential debate. The Michigan governor has dismissed speculation of Biden potentially stepping aside as “a distraction” and added that she does not like seeing her name as a potential replacement because she is focused on “governing and campaigning for the ticket.”

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Despite the Biden campaign’s insistence that he will not drop out of the 2024 race, polling data have indicated that both Harris and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton would have the best chance at beating former President Donald Trump, with both slightly ahead of the former president. Clinton previously ran for president in 2008 and 2016, losing to Trump in the latter race’s general election.

While many Democrats are split over whether or not to keep Biden as their nominee, Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-CO) has refused to give his take on the topic, stating that the president will “do the right thing for the country.” Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA), meanwhile, has called the division within his party “not helpful,” and encouraged his fellow lawmakers to unify ahead of the November election.