Five factors Kamala Harris is using to narrow down her VP pick

Pressure is building for Vice President Kamala Harris to pick a running mate as she stares down a tight deadline to clinch a win this November. 

A new report from NOTUS has indicated she is looking for somebody with executive experience “at the highest level” and someone who can help balance the ticket. 

Govs. Josh Shapiro (D-PA), Roy Cooper (D-NC), Gretchen Whitmer (D-MI), Tim Walz (D-MN), and Andy Beshear (D-KY), along with Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) are all rumored to be vying for the coveted vice presidential spot.

Here’s how each of them could help Harris win over voters. 

Executive experience

As Biden’s number two, Harris has faced criticism that she lacks the portfolio to lead the country. Harris could bolster her standing with voters by selecting a running mate with extensive experience. The presumed Democratic nominee could very well pick a governor, who operates as an executive at the state level, as her veep. 

Several candidates fit the bill. Cooper has been elected twice as North Carolina’s chief executive. With nearly 40 years of experience in state politics, the swing state governor could have the resume Harris is looking for. Meanwhile, Beshear, Walz, and Shapiro also bring executive experience to the table. Although Shapiro has only two years of gubernatorial experience under his belt, the swing state Democrat padded his resume by serving as Pennsylvania’s attorney general between 2017 and 2023. Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D-IL) has also been floated as a running mate.

Whitmer is also widely speculated as a vice presidential candidate, but the Michigan governor has been fairly adamant that she wishes to finish her gubernatorial term. 

Balance

Once rated by GovTrack as the United States’s most liberal senator, Harris shares progressive views on issues including abortion, climate change, and student loans, Selecting a centrist running mate could be critical to helping Harris win independent and swing voters this November.  

Beshear could fill the slot perfectly. The moderate two-term governor beat a Trump-endorsed Republican for reelection in a red state last year. He has indicated he would be open to serving as vice president. 

“I think if someone calls you on that, you at least listen,” Beshear said on MSNBC’s Morning Joe on Monday.

Shapiro could be another option for Harris to mull. Shapiro handily defeated the Trump-backed Doug Mastriano in 2022, 56.5% to 41.7%. Shapiro, who is Jewish, could help bridge the growing gap in Harris’s party over the Israel-Hamas conflict and win over voters alienated by progressives’ stance on the war. 

Meanwhile, potential running mates such as Walz could be ruled out should Harris choose to focus on adding a moderating force to the ticket. The Minnesota Democrat is backed by progressives such as “Squad” Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) and has taken a far-left stance on abortion and transgender issues. 

Money

A winning campaign takes money. With just 101 days left to campaign until the election, Harris could use every dollar to her advantage. NOTUS claims Kelly is the favorite of the donor class while multibillionaire Pritzker could also be a monetary asset. A top surrogate when Biden headed the Democratic ticket, Pritzker is worth roughly $3.5 billion. 

Electoral College

Winning the White House comes down to winning the Electoral College. Hailing from swing states Pennsylvania and Arizona, Shapiro and Kelly could deliver exactly that for Harris. Cooper could do the same in North Carolina, standing as the only Democratic governor to win a state that Trump also won in 2020. 

Relationship

Cooper brings the electoral and executive cards, and he also checks the relationship box. Several sources told NOTUS that Harris’s relationship with Cooper is “real,” and he’s been faithful to stand by her during campaign stops in his state. 

Kelly also has the added draw of a personal connection to Harris. The vice president is reportedly close with the Arizona senator and his wife, former Rep. Gabby Giffords.