The names being floated as Kamala Harris’ running mate if Biden drops out

Kamala Harris may be publicly sticking by Biden as he fights to save his campaign, but that’s not stopping other Democrats from considering her as his most likely replacement. Should Harris soar to the top of the ticket, she would probably choose a moderate white man as her vice president, two people close to the Biden-Harris camp told the New York Times.

Harris would become the first Black and Asian American female nominee of a major party, and a palatable veep would help temper the shock of her nomination in this age of identity politics. Govs. Roy Cooper of North Carolina, Andy Beshear of Kentucky, and Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania are emerging as potential candidates, the aides said.

Cooper looks like the favorite right now. A southern moderate, he has worked alongside North Carolina’s Republican legislature since winning a tough battle for the governorship in 2016. Before serving as governor, Cooper was the state’s attorney general for nearly 16 years. He met Harris during that time, when she was the attorney general in California. Some Dems think that North Carolina is up for grabs in November and Cooper could help potentially flip the state.

As the governor of Kentucky, Beshear doesn’t offer the same opportunity to turn a red state blue. He did, however, attract some attention after winning another term in deep-red Kentucky last year. Beshear also served as attorney general prior to his governorship, giving him an additional point of connection to Harris.

Shapiro has something that the White House sorely lacks at the moment: good polling numbers. According to a poll from January, he has a higher approval rating than other recent Pennsylvania governors, with 59% approving of his performance. Pennsylvania is a key swing state and Beshear’s popularity there could help tip the scales in Democrats’ favor.

As whispers about Harris turn to light chatter, she is staying silent on the question of her candidacy, let alone her potential vice president. She knows that these discussions would risk a leak, and a leak would risk undermining her loyalty, allies told The times.

But so long as Biden keeps teetering, the question about her potential running-mate remains wide open.