US Election: The 10 women who could be Joe Biden's running mate

The Democratic presidential candidate has pledged to choose a woman, and recent BLM protests increase the chances she will be black

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Never in recent US election history has the vice presidential pick carried as much attention and intrigue as with the presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden.

If he wins in November, Mr Biden would be the oldest president to take office, at age 78, making it uncertain that he would seek a second term in 2024.

This has put more emphasis on his choice for running mate as both someone who is "ready on day one" and the likely nominee for the Democratic Party in four years.

Last March, Mr Biden pledged to pick a woman for the vice-presidential spot and his campaign is vetting almost a dozen.

This process will conclude in a matter of weeks and Mr Biden is expected to announce his choice in early August, before the party convention in Wisconsin on August 17.

Recent protests in the US would make a black woman an unsurprising guess.

The main contenders for the position can be ranked as follows:

Kamala Harris

In this June 25, 2020, photo, Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., attends a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington. Seven months after ending her presidential bid,  Harris is at another crossroads moment in her political career.  (Tom Williams/Pool via AP)
Senator Kamala Harris. AP

The senator from California is seen as a front-runner, a status that she has solidified after the continuing Black Lives Matters protests across the US.

The debate on racism that followed the killing of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minnesota has increased the likelihood of a black woman being picked for the position.

Ms Harris, the only black woman elected to the Senate, is regarded as a VP favourite for Democrats.

Despite questions about her record as attorney general of California, she has pivoted to the left, pushing for police reform and sponsoring a Covid-19 stimulus bill with the Vermont senator Bernie Sanders.

A Monmouth University poll released in June found her a top choice, with 28 per cent favouring her pick.

Ms Harris's age, 55, name recognition on the national stage and fund-raising prowess have helped her case.

Elizabeth Warren

Senator Elizabeth Warren, a Democrat from Massachusetts, wears a protective mask while departing the U.S. Capitol following votes in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Thursday, June 25, 2020. Democrats yesterday blocked a Republican policing reform bill in the Senate, saying it falls far short of what is needed to enforce accountability for state and local departments in dealing with racial disparities. Photographer: Stefani Reynolds/Bloomberg
Senator Elizabeth Warren. Bloomberg

Elizabeth Warren, a senator from Massachusetts, is a liberal firebrand who appeals to progressives and the Democratic party base and is another strong contender for the VP position.

She remains the best-known name on the national stage and is seen favourably by 45 per cent of registered voters, a recent poll by The New York Times suggests.

Ms Warren would help Mr Biden galvanise young people, and the two have been speaking routinely during the search.

Val Demings

Rep. Val Demings, D-Fla., speaks during a House Judiciary Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, June 24, 2020, on oversight of the Justice Department and a probe into the politicization of the department under Attorney General William Barr.  (Anna Moneymaker/The New York Times via AP, Pool)
Rep. Val Demings. AP

The Florida congresswoman, a lesser-known name on the national stage, has a unique background as a former police chief, a descendant of slaves and the daughter of a maid and janitor.

Ms Demings became more widely known during the impeachment hearings of US President Donald Trump, the trial of which she managed.

She is well-spoken and could help Mr Biden to win in Florida in November.

Tammy Duckworth

epa08496623 US Senator Tammy Duckworth speaks before participating in a Juneteenth protest rally and march for Defend Black Lives in Chicago, Illinois, USA, 19 June 2020. Juneteenth, or 19 June, is recognized as the day in 1865 that word of the Emancipation Proclamation freeing the slaves reached Galveston, Texas, USA, more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln signed it. It has become a celebration of freedom in African American communities.  EPA/TANNEN MAURY
Senator Tammy Duckworth. EPA

The senator from Illinois is an Iraq-war veteran and double amputee who can help Mr Biden to attract military votes and improve his numbers in the Midwestern states.

Frank Bruni of The New York Times called her an obvious best choice for vice president and she was endorsed on Monday by VoteVets, a political action committee of veterans against Mr Trump.

With the news focus on alleged bounties offered by Russia for attacks on US troops in Afghanistan, the veteran has been on the offensive against Mr Trump.

If picked, Ms Duckworth would be the first Asian American on a national presidential ticket.

Keisha Lance Bottoms

(FILES) In this file photo taken on July 06, 2018 Mayor of Atlanta Keisha Lance Bottoms speaks onstage during the 2018 Essence Festival presented by Coca-Cola at Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, Louisiana.  Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms has earned praise for her handling of turbulent anti-racism protests, boosting her prospects of becoming Joe Biden's running mate and potentially America's first black female vice president. / AFP / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Paras Griffin
Keisha Lance Bottoms. Getty

The mayor of Atlanta, Georgia, was one of the earliest endorsers of Mr Biden, in June last year.

Ms Bottoms was praised by the House's majority whip and highly respected African-American congressman Jim Clyburn.

She received national attention during the George Floyd protests in Atlanta, and could help Mr Biden to win Georgia, a state the Democrats have not won since 1992.

Michelle Lujan Grisham

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, who pushed for an immediate increase in the minimum wage in New Mexico to $10 an hour, has said some unintended consequences of the new law may make it necessary for lawmakers to revisit the issue at some point.FMN Minwage folo2 1216
Gov Michelle Lujan Grisham. Image via USA TODAY network

The governor of New Mexico is not known nationally, but is the only Latina on the list.

Ms Grisham has been highly commended and profiled in Rolling Stone for her job tackling the Covid-19 pandemic.

Her strengths are in bringing executive experience, offering geographical balance for the ticket and helping Mr Biden among Hispanic voters, where his support lags behind former nominee Hillary Clinton.

Susan Rice

HAVANA, CUBA - MARCH 21:  U.S. National Security Advisor Susan Rice arrives for talks at the Palace of the Revolution March 21, 2016 in Havana, Cuba. The first sitting U.S. president to visit Cuba in 88 years, Barack Obama and Castro will sit down for bilateral talks and will deliver joint statements to the news media.  (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Susan Rice in Havana, Cuba, during her tenure at Barack Obama's national security adviser. Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images

A former national security adviser and ambassador to the UN, Susan Rice brings foreign policy experience to the ticket.

Having served along Mr Biden in the Obama presidency, she is also seen as a loyal and a safe pick.

But the former ambassador has not held elected office, a criterion that, according to CNN, Mr Biden wants in his running mate.

Gretchen Whitmer

FILE PHOTO: Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer addresses the media about the flooding along the Tittabawassee River, after several dams breached, in downtown Midland, Michigan, U.S., May 20, 2020. REUTERS/Rebecca Cook/File Photo
Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer. Reuters

The Michigan governor and rising star in the party would help Mr Biden in the Midwest, and at 48, would bring a generational balance to the ticket.

But not being from a minority and a recent controversial Facebook post from her husband have reduced her chances.

Stacey Abrams

Former candidate for Georgia governor Stacey Abrams crosses the Edmund Pettus Bridge during Selma's re-enactment of Bloody Sunday on Sunday, March 1, 2020, in Selma, Ala. (Curtis Compton/Atlanta Journal-Constitution/TNS/ABACAPRESS.COM)No Use France Digital. No Use France Print.
Stacey Abrams. Curtis Compton / Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The former candidate for Georgia governor met Mr Biden in March 2019, triggering speculation then about her VP chances.

But despite being a national name and able to drive high African-American turnout, the lack of executive experience and the fact that the campaign has not been in touch with her makes her an unlikely pick.

Tammy Baldwin

February 25, 2020 - Washington, DC, United States: U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) at a hearing of the Senate Appropriations Committee Subcommittee on the Department of Homeland Security. (Photo by Michael Brochstein/Sipa USA)No Use UK. No Use Germany.
US Senator Tammy Baldwin. Michael Brochstein / Sipa USA

The senator from Wisconsin would help Mr Biden in the Badger state, which Democrats lost in 2016.

Ms Baldwin would also be the first gay person on a national ticket.