Kamala Harris’ VP: A look at the front-runners for running mate

WASHINGTON - With President Joe Biden ending his bid for reelection, there's widespread speculation over who will replace him at the top of the ticket. 

Biden, who announced his exit from the race Sunday in a post on social media, endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the nominee.

The news prompted many prominent Democrats from across the country to follow suit and endorse Harris. 

In 2020, Biden announced Harris as his running mate on August 11. To meet that same date, Harris would, in theory, have less than three weeks to make her own choice. She had previously agreed to debate Vance on Aug. 13, although the two candidates never settled on terms. But Harris could also stretch her vice presidential pick to the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, which starts Aug. 19.

RELATED: These top Democrats are endorsing Harris in presidential race

While Harris hasn’t said anything publicly about whom she would consider as a running mate, here’s a look at some of the top names Democrats have floated as Harris’ running mate in the 2024 election:

California Gov. Gavin Newsom

Since 2019, Gavin Newsom has served as the 40th governor of California. As a member of the Democratic Party, he was the 49th lieutenant governor of California from 2011 to 2019 and the 42nd mayor of San Francisco from 2004 to 2011. Newsom was mayor when Harris was the city’s district attorney.

Now in his second term as governor, the 56-year-old says he is "standing up for California values — from civil rights, to immigration, environmental protection, access to quality schools at all levels, and justice," according to his official bio.

Newsom has maintained a high national profile this year, challenging Republican presidential candidates in public appearances despite not being a candidate himself. He has been one of Biden’s staunchest defenders even as criticism mounted following the president’s faltering debate performance. During an early July stop in New Hampshire on behalf of the president, Newsom said of Biden: "He’s going to be our nominee."

The governor was a baseball star at Santa Clara University. After graduating, he worked briefly in sales before starting a retail wine shop that grew into the PlumpJack Group, which includes restaurants, resorts and vineyards throughout California.

Newsom, who has already faced speculation that he could be a front-runner for the Democratic presidential candidate, shared his support of Harris Sunday afternoon, endorsing her.

"With our democracy at stake and our future on the line, no one is better to prosecute the case against Donald Trump's dark vision and guide our country in a healthier direction than America’s Vice President," he said. 

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker 

Jay Robert "J.B." Pritzker has served since 2019 as the 43rd governor of Illinois. Pritzker is a member of the wealthy Pritzker family that owns the Hyatt hotel chain.

As the richest politician holding office in the U.S., his net worth of $3.4 billion puts him at No. 250 on the Forbes 400 list of the richest Americans.

The 59-year-old Pritzker won the nomination for governor in 2018, besting a crowded Democratic field. He beat one-term incumbent Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner and inherited mountains of state debt, unpaid bills and ratings by Wall Street credit houses just above junk status because of Rauner's two-year feud with legislative Democrats that resulted in the state going without a budget plan.

Working with Democratic supermajorities in the House and Senate, Pritzker has boasted balanced budgets and paid down billions of dollars in debt, prompting multiple credit upgrades. He also has overseen increased education funding, the centralization of early childhood services, and new laws to make health insurance more comprehensive, accessible and affordable.

Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker endorsed Harris as the Democratic presidential nominee in a social media post Monday morning.

He said he believed Harris was "the most qualified and capable person to be president."

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer

Gretchen Whitmer is a lawyer and politician serving as the 49th governor of Michigan since 2019. A member of the Democratic Party, she served in the Michigan House of Representatives from 2001 to 2006 and in the Michigan Senate from 2006 to 2015. Whitmer was born and raised in Michigan.

Her national profile grew significantly during the final years of Donald Trump’s presidency when she emerged as one of the Democratic Party’s most effective voices opposing the then-president. She delivered the Democratic response to Trump’s 2020 State of the Union address and frequently clashed with him over how the federal government handled the COVID-19 pandemic.

Near the end of 2020, the FBI uncovered a plot to kidnap Whitmer, which led to nine men either being convicted by jury or pleading guilty.

In her 2022 reelection campaign, Whitmer focused on reproductive rights, resulting in a double-digit victory and passage of a voter-approved measure codifying abortion rights in the state. Her party also flipped both chambers of the state Legislature, securing a Democratic trifecta for the first time in nearly four decades.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said on Monday she was "fired up" to endorse Kamala Harris for president.

Shortly after her statement was released, FOX 2 Detroit's Tim Skubick caught up with Whitmer to ask if she was now interested in the Vice President job.

RELATED: Gretchen Whitmer not interested in running for Vice President: "I'm not leaving Michigan"

"I'm not planning to go anywhere," Whitmer said. "I'm not leaving Michigan. I'm proud to be the governor of Michigan. I have been consistent. I know everyone is always suspicious and asking this question over and over again - I know you're doing your job - I'm not going anywhere."

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear

Andy Beshear has served as the 63rd governor of Kentucky since 2019. He is also the son of former Governor Steve Beshear.

Beshear entered the political spotlight following his re-election victory in Kentucky last year when he won by 5 percentage points.

The governor has urged Democrats to follow his winning formula by focusing on the everyday concerns of Americans, from good-paying jobs to quality education and health care.

Beshear supports abortion rights, but in Kentucky has tailored his message to push back against what he calls an extreme ban that lacks exceptions for rape and incest victims.

The governor won widespread praise for his empathy and attention to detail in guiding the Bluegrass State through the COVID-19 pandemic and leading the response to tornadoes and flooding that caused massive damage. He honed his speaking skills by holding regular news conferences that often last an hour or so.

Beshear has presided over record-setting economic growth in Kentucky, and he typically begins his briefings by touting the state’s latest economic wins. He frequently mentions his Christian faith and how it guides his policymaking. 

Beshear endorsed Harris for president during an appearance on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" on Monday. 

When asked about being a potential running mate, he responded, "The only way I would consider something other than this current job is if I believed I could further help my people and to help this country."

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg

Pete Buttigieg is a politician and former naval officer, who is serving as the 19th United States Secretary of Transportation. 

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, his focus as secretary is to deliver the world’s leading transportation system for the American people and economy. He has focused the department on five policy goals: safety, jobs, equity, climate, and innovation. In his first year at the Department, he prioritized supporting the development and passage of Biden’s signature Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

He was also the 32nd mayor of South Bend, Indiana, from 2012 to 2020, which earned him the nickname "Mayor Pete." Buttigieg, 42, ran for president during the 2020 election. 

He served for seven years as an officer in the U.S. Navy Reserve, taking a leave of absence from the mayor’s office for a deployment to Afghanistan in 2014. He's also the first openly gay person confirmed to serve in a president’s cabinet. 

Buttigieg endorsed Harris Sunday, writing he would do all that he could to help elect Harris as the next president. 

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper

North Carolina Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper has won six statewide general elections over two decades in a state where Republicans routinely prevail in similar federal races and also control the legislature.

Cooper, 67, has received strong job-approval ratings as governor, benefitting from a booming state economy, for which his administration and lawmakers takes credit. He also portrays himself as a fighter for public education and abortion rights. While Cooper finally persuaded GOP legislators last year to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, other efforts have been thwarted by a General Assembly with veto-proof majorities that has eroded his formal powers.

A native of small-town Nash County, about 50 miles east of Raleigh, Cooper was his high school quarterback and head of the Young Democrats at the University of North Carolina, where he obtained both his undergraduate and law degrees. "Coop," as he was known to friends, came home and worked at his father’s law firm.

Cooper upset the Democratic incumbent in a 1986 state House primary race and was elected to the General Assembly. He served 14 years there and later became the Senate majority leader.

Cooper, 67, endorsed Harris Sunday on X, stating that she should be the next president.

"I’ve known @VP going back to our days as AGs, and she has what it takes to defeat Donald Trump and lead our country thoughtfully and with integrity," Cooper wrote on July 21. "I look forward to campaigning for her as we work to win NC up and down the ticket."

Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona

Mark Edward Kelly is a politician, former NASA astronaut, and U.S. Navy captain who has been the senator from Arizona since 2020.

Kelly has won the statewide election twice in Arizona – a key battleground state that is now widely considered "purple." 

He’s also the husband to former Rep. Gabby Giffords, who was shot in 2011 after a mass shooting at a campaign rally.

Giffords’ improbable survival made her a national inspiration but snuffed out a promising political career of her own. She and Kelly went on to found a gun-control advocacy group, and Giffords has been a powerful surrogate as Kelly has taken her place in politics.

In the Senate, Kelly has focused on national security and the military as well as the drought plaguing the U.S. West. He was instrumental in crafting the CHIPS and Science Act, a bill signed by Biden to boost U.S. semiconductor manufacturing.

Kelly was a Navy test pilot and flew 39 combat missions during the Gulf War before joining NASA, where he flew three missions on the space shuttle.

Kelly endorsed Harris in a statement Sunday, writing, "I couldn’t be more confident that Vice President @KamalaHarris is the right person to defeat Donald Trump and lead our country into the future. She has my support for the nomination, and Gabby and I will do everything we can to elect her President of the United States." 

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore

Westley Moore has served as the 63rd governor of Maryland since 2023. Moore was born in Maryland and raised primarily in New York. 

The 45-year-old is also an Army veteran. His response to the recent bridge collapse in Baltimore has recently propelled his name into the spotlight.

On Monday, Moore endorsed Harris, writing, "Today, I am proud to voice my full support and offer my full endorsement to Vice President @KamalaHarris to be the Democratic Nominee for President of the United States."

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro

Joshua Shapiro has served as the 48th governor of Pennsylvania since 2023. He also served as the 50th Pennsylvania attorney general from 2017 to 2023 and as a member of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners from 2012 to 2017.

Shapiro, 51, has been a surrogate for Biden, backing the president in appearances on cable networks, and has years of experience making former President Trump the focus of his attacks, first as state attorney general and now as governor.

If he joins a Democratic ticket, Shapiro would become the second vice presidential nominee of Jewish heritage, after former Democratic Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut in 2000.

Shapiro has won three statewide races — two as attorney general, one as governor — with a tightly scripted, disciplined campaign style, offering voters something of a lower-key alternative to the state’s brash political star, U.S. Sen. John Fetterman.

On Sunday, the 51-year-old endorsed Harris, stating that he would do everything he can to help elect Harris.

"The contrast in this race could not be clearer and the road to victory in November runs right through Pennsylvania – where this collective work began," Shapiro wrote.

Sen. Raphael Warnock of Georgia

Raphael Warnock is a Baptist pastor and politician serving as the junior United States senator from Georgia since 2021. 

Warnock was the first Black person elected as senator from Georgia, and he has been on the ballot five times since 2020 – which included two runoff elections.

Warnock has also been the senior pastor of Atlanta's Ebenezer Baptist Church since 2005.

Warnock endorsed Harris on Sunday, writing in part, "I’ve been proud to work alongside him & our very able Vice President, @KamalaHarris. I am proud to endorse her candidacy to be the next President of the United States."

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz

Timothy Walz is a former U.S. Army non-commissioned officer and retired educator who has served as the 41st governor of Minnesota since 2019.

Walz, who heads the Democratic Governors Association, said of Biden that "history will look fondly on his legacy" and thanked him in a social media post Sunday.

"President Biden: a giant in American history," the 60-year-old wrote.

On Monday, Walz endorsed Harris, sharing that she had his "full support."

"I’ve known Vice President Kamala Harris for years and I’ve seen her strengthen national security, protect reproductive rights, and pass historic legislation. As a prosecutor running against a convicted felon, no one is better qualified to unite our party and take on Donald Trump," he wrote.

Mark Cuban

People have speculated about Mark Cuban, a billionaire and "Shark Tank" star, and his political future since he sold his majority stake in the Dallas Mavericks.

RELATED: Mark Cuban for vice president? Betting markets say he has a shot

Cuban admitted he has thought about a potential political run in the past but recently denied having any political aspirations.

FOX 4's Mike Doocy reached out to the billionaire about a possible political run after his sale of the Mavericks.

"Maybe I'll run for PTA," he responded at the time.

Biden ends his bid for reelection

President Joe Biden announced that he was ending his bid for reelection after a disastrous debate inflamed doubts he was fit for four more years on the job.

He made the announcement Sunday.

The president said he would address the American people later in the week "in more detail about my decision."

This story was reported from Los Angeles. The Associated Press contributed.