The battle over the Democratic presidential nomination is all but over, meaning the speculation over who Joe Biden will pick as his running mate is now underway in earnest.
The former vice president has publicly pledged that his VP pick would be a woman, but has otherwise remained tight-lipped about who he is considering.
“If I’m elected as president, my cabinet, my administration, will look like the country and I commit that I will, in fact, pick a woman to be vice president,” Biden said during Sunday’s debate, making his most recent comments on the matter.
Longtime Democratic power broker, Ed Rendell, said that Biden will pick someone qualified to step into the role — should the worst happen.
“[Joe] Biden will not choose someone who he doesn’t believe could be president on day one. He believes that was one of the reasons he was chosen [for the VP job],” said the former Philadelphia mayor and Pennsylvania governor, who has known Biden for four decades.
“He believes he was a great vice president because he was helpful to President Obama,” Rendell added. “He wants someone who will do the same for him.”
As Biden has widened his lead, allies and surrogates have begun floating names of potential choices as the Democratic presidential frontrunner starts to narrow down his list.
Kamala Harris
Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), a former 2020 Democratic frontrunner, memorably clashed with Biden over his past opposition to busing. Her debate performance helped reenergize her flagging campaign, though it fizzled again in the weeks that followed.
The two Democrats have mended fences since she dropped out in December — and Harris endorsed Biden earlier this month.
Harris’ strongest selling point may be her own government experience — she served as San Francisco District Attorney and California’s Attorney General before winning election to the US Senate.
Rep. Jim Clyburn told The Post that Harris — along with fellow 2020 hopefuls Amy Klobuchar and Elizabeth Warren — are worthy of consideration for the running mate position.
Stacey Abrams
Abrams’ narrow loss in Georgia’s 2018 gubernatorial race skyrocketed her to national prominence. Biden even once called her a possible contender for the VP slot, referring to her as “the woman who should’ve been the governor of Georgia, the African American woman.”
Abrams is also a favorite of Clyburn, who included her name when speaking to The Post about potential VP choices. The Georgia native lacks foreign policy and defense experience, but Rendell does not worry that that would be a massive issue.
“Voters are sophisticated, they know they’re voting for the president first,” Rendell said, “As long as the person isn’t Sarah Palin, where voters have to worry if the person could do the job, it won’t make a difference.”
Abrams has also publicly expressed a desire to be on the Democratic presidential ticket. “Of course, I would be honored to run as vice president with the nominee,” she said on the ABC’s “The View” in February.
Keisha Lance Bottoms
Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms is another favorite on the VP shortlist. The 50-year-old Democrat backed Biden last June and never wavered, campaigning for him as a surrogate across the South and on television.
However, like Abrams, Bottoms lacks foreign policy and defense experience.
While she lacks Abrams’ name recognition, Rendell says that would not be a dealbreaker for Biden in making his decision.
Val Demings
Rep. Val Demings was not as well known prior to President Trump’s impeachment trial, where she served as an impeachment manager alongside House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff — and has been floated by both Clyburn and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-New York).
Demings has represented Florida for four terms and could help Democrats win back the state after Hillary Clinton’s narrow loss to President Trump there in 2016.
Clyburn confirmed to The Post what he has said publicly since endorsing Biden, that he believes Biden’s running mate should be an African American woman.
“I have three black daughters,” he said on the phone Wednesday.
Catherine Cortez Masto
Nevada Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto is still serving her first term in the Senate, but could help Democrats solidify their position out west.
A Latino woman, Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) could help Biden boost his lagging support with the Latino voters, one of the few traditionally Democratic voting blocks where Biden’s 2020 rival Bernie Sanders has an edge.
“She’s an attractive candidate no question,” Rendell told The Post of the Nevada Democrat. “But if Biden picked a Hispanic woman, he’d have to gauge what the response would be from black women for opting against picking one of the many black women on his shortlist.”