The list of potential candidates to run alongside Kamala Harris, the presumptive Democratic US presidential nominee, has narrowed down to seven likely picks. North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper and Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer are both out of the running mate list.
The decision has gained major attention since Vice-President Harris became the leading Democratic candidate for the November election, following President Joe Biden's decision to end his White House bid for re-election just over a week ago.
Harris, who has been serving as the first female, first Black, and first South Asian vice president since 2021, is considering vice-presidential nominees to balance her ticket and appeal to a wider section of voters. According to Reuters, she is weighing a list of mostly white, male candidates.
On Monday, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper, who is in his second term, said he won't seek the vice-presidential role in Harris' campaign.
“I strongly support Vice-President Harris’ campaign for President. I know she’s going to win and I was honored to be considered for this role,” Cooper wrote on X.
“This just wasn’t the right time for North Carolina and for me to potentially be on a national ticket. As I’ve said from the beginning, she has an outstanding list of people to choose, and we’ll all work to make sure she wins,” he added.
Also on Monday, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer said on CBS Mornings that she was "not a part of the vetting" process to be a running mate.
"I have communicated with everyone, including the people of Michigan, that I'm going to stay as governor until the end of my term at the end of 2026," she said, reported Reuters.
Harris took a break from campaigning this weekend to have private talks with several potential running mates, including Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, according to two sources, reported Reuters.
Other candidates being considered are Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, US Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, California Governor Gavin Newsom, and Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg.
It remains to be seen if the Democrats will agree on Vice-President Kamala Harris as their presidential candidate and who her vice-presidential running mate will be.
