Ex-US President Barack Obama has endorsed Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee for the US presidential election. With this, Kamala Harris has gained the backing of all the top leaders of the Democratic Party. Now that Harris is set to run for the presidential elections, she is eyeing around a dozen potential candidates for her running mate.
The 2024 US Presidential elections have underlined several governors and senators as potential vice president picks. There are several rules in US home states for choosing replacements if they win. Each state has specific procedures and rules for filling these positions, and these decisions can have a huge political impact! For instance, former President Donald Trump has already decided to go ahead with Ohio Senator JD Vance as his running mate, while Kamala Harris is still considering her options.
Against this backdrop, let’s learn the rules from different states for possible Vice President contenders:
J.D.Vance
Mike DeWine, a Republican and the Ohio Governor, will need to nominate a temporary replacement till 15th December 2026, if JD Vance is elected as the Vice President. To fill the rest of Vance’s Senate term, an election will be held in November 2026.
Governor DeWine has also expressed that his choice of candidate will rely on his dedication to serving Ohio and the capability of running a campaign with a positive outcome in 2026. In 2028, the next election for a six-year Senate term will be conducted.
Ohio Republicans can grab a lucrative opportunity to resolve a backlog if Vance’s Senate seat becomes vacant. This would lead the path for Ohio Republicans to advance.
If Governor Josh Shapiro is picked by Kamala Harris as her running mate, then he can continue to serve as the governor while campaigning. If elected, DShapiro will have to resign as the governor before the inauguration of the president of the United States on January 20, 2025.
Presently serving his second year as the governor, Shapiro will be replaced by Democratic Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis, who will conclude Shapiro’s term ending in January 2027. If Davis becomes the governor, he will be the youngest in the U.S. and the first black person in that position in Pennsylvania.
Roy Cooper
Governor Roy Cooper is among the potential running mates for Vice President Kamala Harris. Having served two back-to-back four-year terms, Cooper must be leaving office in January as his term limits are reached. According to state constitutional rules, when the governor is not in office, he will be replaced by the lieutenant governor.
This rule can turn out to be a significant move as Republican Mark Robinson, who is currently serving as the lieutenant governor, will use Cooper’s absence as a chance to push his own political agenda. Robinson is competing for the governor seat against Democratic Attorney General Josh Stein. However, according to political expert Chris Cooper from Western Carolina University, Robinson will not be able to make changes to Copper’s policies due to modern and advanced communication and travel technologies.
Mark Kelly
Democratic Senator Mark Kelly who is also among the potential picks for the Vice President, previously won John McCain’s old Senate seat in a special election conducted in 2020. Arizona’s Democratic Governor Kate Hobbs will nominate a temporary replacement from the Democratic party if Kelly is chosen as the Vice President. This nominee will serve till a special election is held in 2026 to conclude the remaining two years of Kelly’s term.
Andy Beshear
In the predominantly Republican Kentucky, Democratic Governor Andy Beshear made his name by winning last year. If Beshear is chosen as the running mate for Kamala Harris, Democratic Lieutenant Governor Jacqueline Coleman, will take power as the new Governor. She will complete Andy Beshear’s term which would end in late 2027. After that, she could run for a full term.
The succession rules in Kentucky have been debated before. To fill a vacant U.S. Senate seat, Republican lawmakers have passed a law which would require a special election. The law was passed last year. This law eliminated the running governor’s role in choosing fills for the Senate vacancies. People have linked this to concerns surrounding the health of Republican Senator Mitch McConnel. Although, those who support the bill have completely denied any connection.
