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Biden’s Vice Presidential Pick: Who Will It Be?

byJoanna
April 19, 2020

In the March Democratic Debate, Joe Biden confirmed that his Vice President would be a woman. Now that Bernie Sanders has dropped out of the 2020 race and with Biden as the presumptive party nominee, It’s time for Biden to pick a VP. 

But we still don’t have the answer to one question: who will that woman be?

In the weeks since Joe Biden confirmed that his VP would be a woman, several political figures have jumped at the opportunity. Here are the women whom Biden will probably consider the most. 

Senator Kamala Harris

There’s no question that Harris and Biden didn’t have the greatest start. In the June 2019 debate, Harris’s boost in the polls came after she attacked Biden for his former busing. However, both candidates did position themselves on the moderate spectrum from the start, which means that they share similar ideological beliefs. Harris endorsed Biden shortly after his Super Tuesday sweep and followed him around as he swept even more states. 

Choosing Harris would allow Biden to draw on voters from California, a state which he lost to Bernie Sanders during the primaries. It would also further expand his African American support. Harris also seems like a smart move ideologically for Biden, as the two (despite busing policies) share similar beliefs. However, this move would definitely benefit Harris more than Biden, as she’s a one-term senator who hasn’t made waves with any legislation. Serving as vice president would further her reputation. 

There are a couple of cons to choosing Harris. As previously mentioned, her limited experience in the Senate could make her seem unqualified for the position. Harris’s previous attacks against Biden could provide the potential to frame her against her own running mate. However, the most troubling factor against Harris is her questionable at best record as attorney general. She was notoriously tough on crime and blocked mounds of evidence as a prosecutor. Biden, who struggles with Latino support, likely won’t get much if he’s to pick Harris. Her tough on crime record hurt many Latinos in California. 

Senator Elizabeth Warren

After stalling through Super Tuesday and stalling even more on her endorsement, Warren finally endorsed Biden after Sanders dropped out. The two haven’t had any major disagreements, but their ideologies do clash. Warren, a progressive, has views that are much more extreme than Biden’s in many different fields. However, she is known for being a touch more moderate than Sanders and consistently pulled reasonable plans out of her back pocket during debates. The recent coronavirus situation has proved that there are glaring holes in the healthcare system, and Warren has the ability to help push for more reform. She won endorsements from over a hundred Latino leaders, a group Biden struggles to target. Furthermore, she can act as a unifier of the progressives to avoid a repeat of 2016, when Sanders’s voters often stayed home and didn’t bother to vote. Warren’s confidence in speeches could also overshadow Biden’s hesitations and fumbles. Most importantly, her commitment to inclusion and the middle class would be perfectly timed to tackle this pandemic. 

But not every package is perfect. Warren’s reluctance to endorse fellow progressive Bernie Sanders hurt a lot of Sanders voters and the two candidates had somewhat of a falling out. Thus, it’s difficult to say whether or not she might win over their hearts. Also, Republicans who are voting for Biden because they don’t want Trump could turn away if Biden grows too progressive, a risk that adding Warren to the ticket could cause. 

Senator Amy Klobuchar

The Minnesota Senator and the former Vice President are the most alike, as they shared similar platforms all the way throughout the primary season. She dropped out to boost Biden in the Super Tuesday races, handing him a major win in Minnesota. Klobuchar could be the key to helping Biden win key states in the midwest, where she is well-respected. Her policies in Congress made her one of the few Senators who could communicate effectively with both Republicans and Democrats, meaning that she could be great for drawing in even more Republican voters who could be uncomfortable with Trump. Like Warren, Klobuchar’s ability to stand her ground during debates and radiate confidence could help balance out Joe Biden’s fumbles. She also has a large amount of experience from working in Congress, meaning she’s definitely qualified for the job. 

Now for the cons of Klobuchar. She fails to win over Latinos (maybe even more than Joe Biden does.) In February, she tried to attract Latino voters by sharing her fourth-grade Spanish name. Klobuchar is also extremely moderate, to the point where progressives could dismiss voting altogether. Also, her miserable fifth-place finish in the Iowa primary seems to indicate that she might not be as great for the midwest as people claim. Furthermore, Klobuchar has faced allegations of staff abuse, which could hurt her immensely and leave her to a lot of criticism. 

While these are likely the top three candidates for the Vice Presidential pick, there are still many others up for consideration. However, candidates such as Stacey Abrahms (who tried to run for governor of Georgia) lack proper experience and other considerations such as Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer may be too unpopular to give Biden the boost he needs. Harris, Warren and Klobuchar seem to have the best chances of making waves and drawing in voters. 

Featured Image via Jules Bss on Unsplash

Author
Joanna
Joanna is a political and books writer at Affinity, as well as a social media intern.
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