These Are the Non-Controversial White Men Most Likely to Join Kamala Harris on the Democratic Ticket

The clock is ticking for Harris to select the likely folksy, Midwestern white man who will take her old job—and try not to scare off too many white boomers in the process.

By Kylie Cheung  |  July 22, 2024 | 7:03pm
Photo: Getty Images Politics
These Are the Non-Controversial White Men Most Likely to Join Kamala Harris on the Democratic Ticket

It’s only Monday, and the news cycle this week already feels like multiple coconuts have dropped on our heads. (Yes, going forward, I will be starting every story about Vice President Kamala Harris and the Democratic Party circus with a lame little coconut joke.) Now, with Harris set up as the presumptive nominee, the race is on for her potential running mate. And while we’ve historically had no shortage of boy-boy presidential tickets, the prevailing thinking is that a girl-girl ticket—specifically a ticket that already has a *gasp* woman of color at the top—is out of the question. That being said, Harris is expected to tap one of a handful of non-controversial white men, likely hailing from key swing states especially around the Midwest, to be her running mate. 

Some big-name, Democratic presidential hopefuls have already bowed out or been effectively disqualified from the veepstakes. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who’s become a trailblazing star of the party since first winning her seat in 2018, said on Monday afternoon that she isn’t leaving Michigan. And the American Psycho-resembling California governor, Gavin Newsom, isn’t eligible while he holds his office because he and Harris are both legislators from California. 

Among some of the names being quietly floated are Sen. Raphael Warnock of Georgia, and Maryland Gov. Wes Moore—both charismatic, rising stars of the party, but both hailing from states that the Biden-Harris campaign, now just Harris, isn’t quite as focused on. (Warnock would also be replaced by a Republican since the governor of Georgia is a Republican.) According to the latest reporting on Monday, it’s Midwestern, swing-state governors who are at the top of Harris’ shortlist. They could win over voters from a key region for Democrats; some of them have managed to accomplish a lot in deep-red or purple states; and pretty much all of them are much younger than Trump. 

The vice presidential pick isn’t always regarded as the most consequential piece of a presidential campaign. But as the alleged cold feet in Trump world over J.D. Vance suggests, veep selection holds some importance: According to The Atlantic, Trump allies are especially frustrated with Vance on the ticket now that Biden’s departure means the campaign will likely face a tougher Democratic challenger, and Vance doesn’t really add anything. With her VP pick, Harris has the chance to make things even tougher for Trump and Vance. So, here are the potential, “non-threatening” white men Harris and her campaign are reportedly considering, and what they would or wouldn’t bring to the table.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear was elected in 2019 in his deep red state by running primarily on state issues, like natural disaster relief and economic development, and placing some distance between himself and the national Democratic Party. Beshear has been a highly effective messenger on reproductive rights, winning his race in November by calling out Republicans’ anti-abortion extremism and lifting up the story of Hadley Duvall, a young woman and child rape survivor who lent her voice to the campaign. Beshear has also impressively defeated attacks on trans kids in Kentucky by making the simple, powerful case that Republicans who bully trans kids are the extremists, rather than the other way around.

Beshear is termed out from running for governor again, so that’s a point in his favor. On Monday, he hammered Vance on his anti-abortion extremism and remarks in support of women staying in abusive marriages, as well as his Midwest, populist pandering. Beshear is also 46 years old, which would further help the ticket make the case against Trump, the oldest-ever presidential nominee.

The only weakness (?) I can think of is that Kentucky probably isn’t in play for a Democratic presidential ticket, though Beshear would likely attract Southern and Midwest voters more broadly.

Rating:  4.5 out of 5 coconuts

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker

I’ve not been shy about it and never will be: I love the idea of a big boy on the ticket, someone who can project both strength and joviality, while also having a few progressive credentials to fall back on. (FWIW, Andy Beshear, if you’re reading this: I am 100% ready to back you should you make some size gains by November.) In all seriousness, Pritzker brings a lot to the table: He’s from the Midwest; he has a very strong record on abortion rights; he canceled a billion dollars in medical debt in his state; he abolished cash bail; and has generally done a good job winning over progressives. He’s also a billionaire, which could help with the issue of cash running dry when key donors started to back away from Biden in recent weeks. 

Pritzker has a loyal online fanbase, but alas, the internet isn’t real life, and most “insider” reports as of this week don’t peg him as a frontrunner. Illinois is also a pretty reliably blue state at this point, so it’s not entirely clear that he’d expand the voter base.

Rating: 3 out of 5 coconuts.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro

Josh Shapiro was decisively elected in 2022 in a competitive race against Trump-backed, far-right extremist Doug Mastriano. He brings the same regional advantages that Pritzker and Beshear bring to the table as governor of a highly competitive swing state. At 51, he’s also approximately 30 years younger than Joe Biden. But while he’s delivered some important wins on abortion rights, Shapiro has also faced criticism for how he’s handled anti-war dissent and criticisms of Israel, cracking down on universities in the state to punish and shut down pro-Palestine student protesters earlier this year. That could prove a liability as Harris is likely to try and distance herself from some of the least popular aspects of how Biden has handled the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. 

Then, there’s also the matter of Shapiro currently serving his first term in a key swing state that may be difficult for another Democratic governor to win. Nonetheless, he’s made quite a splash at recent public appearances alongside Harris; he’s well-liked by Democratic leaders; and Pennsylvania is a critically important state where he’s managed to win on strong support for reproductive rights.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5 coconuts. 

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper

Like Beshear, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper is another Southern Democrat being eyed for the position, and it doesn’t hurt that he’s appeared alongside Harris in recent weeks as a key campaign surrogate. Cooper has stood steadfast on reproductive rights, one of Harris’ top campaign issues, though his veto against a 12-week abortion ban was overridden by the state legislature’s Republican supermajority last year. Cooper isn’t known to have presidential aspirations, so it seems he’d largely serve to give Harris more regional credibility without diverting attention from her. Like Beshear, he’s also termed out. 

Despite Cooper’s regional appeal, he has a couple of ticks against him: He’s 67 years old, which might weaken the ticket’s youth advantage over Trump and Vance, and North Carolina isn’t really expected to be in play for Democrats. I’d also wager that Democrats are looking for a charismatic, younger star who could play well against Vance at the VP debate and on the campaign trail. Cooper isn’t exactly known for bringing that to the table.

Rating: 2 out of 5 coconuts.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg

It’s no secret Pete Buttigieg wants to be president someday—the Indiana-native wunderkind came surprisingly close in the 2020 Democratic primary and famously made a lifetime enemy out of Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D) in the process. He has a reputation for being smart, well-spoken, and beloved by the Democratic base. He’s young and widely seen as the “future” of the Democratic Party—another sharp contrast to 78-year-old Trump—and emerged as a top surrogate for the Biden-Harris campaign. Just as Harris would be the first woman of color to top a presidential ticket, Buttigieg would also make history as an openly LGBTQ vice presidential nominee. 

Of course, Buttigieg’s political experience largely boils down to being the mayor of a small town in Indiana and being awarded a cushy cabinet position in exchange for dropping out and endorsing Biden in 2020. It’s hard to picture how he expands the Democratic voter base. But I’ll say it: It would be a pleasure to watch him debate Vance, to whom he serves as a strong foil.

Rating: 2 out of 5 coconuts.

Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly

Sen. Mark Kelly (R-AZ) is reportedly high on Harris’ shortlist, hailing from an important state like Arizona, where Democrats have managed to break key ground in recent years. He’s won statewide in two elections, and he’s deeply popular with voters across the political spectrum since it’s hard to make the case against an astronaut married to a heroic gun violence survivor/advocate. Because Arizona has a Democratic governor, Democrats wouldn’t lose his seat if he vacated it. Of course, an unfortunate tick against him is that it’s not clear a different Democrat could win the statewide election for his seat, so selecting him would be a significant risk.

Rating: 3 out of 5 coconuts.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is another Midwestern governor who could shore up support in the region and has plenty of progressive deliverables to show for two terms as governor: protecting abortion rights, legalizing marijuana, and signing key gun safety legislation. At 60 years old, he’s young enough. Like Cooper, he doesn’t have clear presidential ambitions and would mostly let Harris’ star shine. But also like Cooper, he probably wouldn’t bring a whole lot of excitement and energy to the ticket.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5 coconuts.

So, there you have it: If, or perhaps when, any of these gents is named Harris’ running mate, just know they didn’t fall out of a coconut tree. They exist in the context of all in which we live and what came before us—and, specifically, in the context of the darned electoral college and all the dated systems and thorny identity politics that are make-or-break for winning the presidency.

 
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