Democrats are still brimming with excitement over Vice President Kamala Harris’s presidential candidacy. Enthusiasm is off the charts. The money is rolling in. Harris is putting the right people around her. Elected Democrats quickly lined up behind her and they’re ready to ride her coattails in down-ballot races. One of the biggest items on VP Harris’s to-do lists is “choose a running mate.” As soon as people understood that VP Harris is The One, we quickly understood that she would choose the least scandalous white man she could find. We need someone who is a good public speaker, someone between the age of 45-65, someone who already has a political base, and hopefully someone who can help out in swing states. The NY Times compiled their list of contenders:
ANDY BESHEAR
Governor of Kentucky, 46
Mr. Beshear is a two-term Democratic governor from Kentucky, a solidly Republican state. When he first won in 2019, his victory was regarded as a fluke; Mr. Trump won the state by about 30 percentage points three years earlier. But last year, he easily won re-election. He has emphasized the “common good,” working with Republicans on legislation, including medical marijuana, and often talks about his Christian faith. It’s a message that could be particularly appealing for Democrats now, as they try to win over moderate white voters in the suburbs.ROY COOPER
Governor of North Carolina, 67
Mr. Cooper is the governor of what might at best be called a swing-ish state — Barack Obama won there in 2008. Picking Mr. Cooper might put it in play, or at the least, press the Trump campaign to invest money in a state it would otherwise not have to worry about. In 2020, when Mr. Trump won the state by 1.3 percentage points, Mr. Cooper was elected by 4 points. But he is term-limited, so he cannot run again. And if Mr. Cooper gets the nod, every time he leaves the state to campaign, Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, a very conservative Republican who is running for governor, becomes the acting governor.MARK KELLY
U.S. Senator from Arizona, 60
The Arizona senator rose to national prominence after his wife, Representative Gabby Giffords, survived an assassination attempt in 2011. Mr. Kelly, a veteran of the Navy and a former astronaut, began campaigning for stricter gun control. He won his Senate seat in 2020. He has carved out an image as a moderate in Arizona, building a coalition that relied on white women in the suburbs as well as young Latino voters who were crucial in delivering the state to Mr. Biden in 2020.JB PRITZKER
Governor of Illinois, 59
Mr. Pritzker has been the governor of Illinois since 2019. That is not a battleground state, but he is a billionaire, and could help finance the campaign. That’s no small matter as Mr. Trump has seen an avalanche of financial support since Mr. Biden’s poor debate appearance in June. Mr. Pritzker – who would be the second Jewish running mate on a major-party ticket in history if he were picked – has drawn Democratic attention with his attacks on Mr. Trump. “Do they really want a president who is a felon who faces jail time?” Mr. Pritzker said in June.JOSH SHAPIRO
Governor of Pennsylvania, 51
Mr. Shapiro was elected as governor in 2022 after serving as the state’s attorney general. Pennsylvania is a must-win state for Democrats, and Mr. Shapiro’s stock among Democrats rose after he swamped his Republican opponent in 2022, Doug Mastriano, winning 56 percent of the vote. As demonstrations against Israel spread across campuses this fall, Mr. Shapiro — who is also Jewish — denounced the rise in antisemitism after the attack by Hamas on Israel on Oct. 7. He also won praise for overseeing quick repairs after a messy bridge collapse on I-95 last year.
The Times also listed “less likely contenders” for VP: Wes Moore (governor of Maryland), Tim Walz (governor of Minnesota), Pete Buttigieg and Gina Raimondo. I agree that none of those people will be chosen as a running mate. I also think Gov. Shapiro won’t be chosen, even if Pennsylvania is a battleground state. Shapiro comes with too much “baggage” politically. I also think Gov. Pritzker is at the bottom of the shortlist, just because he doesn’t bring much to the table politically or demographically.
So, yeah, I think the VP race is between Beshear, Kelly and Cooper. I’ve seen a lot of North Carolinians advocating for Cooper – he’s enormously popular in NC, he’s scandal-free, he’s a decent family man and he’s unlikely to have many political ambitions outside of being VP. With Cooper on the ticket, it’s very likely Harris will win NC, which would be a huge deal. But I think senior Democrats are really pushing for Mark Kelly. They were actually pushing for Kelly at the top of the ticket when they were trying to force President Biden out of the race. Kelly brings a lot to the table too – he’s a veteran and astronaut and a “man’s man” who supports women’s rights. But here’s the thing… that would be two “Western Democrats” on the ticket together. We need some regional balance, which both Beshear and Cooper bring.
Photos courtesy of Cover Images.
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- US Senator Mark Kelly attends a press conference in Mykhailivska Square, Kyiv, capital of Ukraine Featuring: US Senator Mark Kelly Where: Kyv, Ukraine When: 12 Apr 2023 Credit: Abaca Press/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- Dinner hosted by United States President Joe Biden,and first lady Dr. Jill Biden in honor of President Yoon Suk Yeol of the Republic of Korea and Mrs. Kim Keon Hee, First Lady of the Republic of Korea during a State Visit at the White House in Washington, DC. Featuring: Governor Andy Beshear and his Britainy Beshear Where: Washington, District of Columbia, United States When: 26 Apr 2023 Credit: POOL via CNP/startraksphoto.com
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- US Senator, Navy veteran and former astronaut Mark Kelly holds a briefing while on a visit to Kyiv, Ukraine. Senator Mark Kelly noted the progress of the Ukrainian counteroffensive, which is developing under very difficult circumstances. Featuring: Mark Kelly Where: Kyiv, Ukraine When: 18 Sep 2023 Credit: Ukrinform/Cover Images **UK AND USA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- Governor Roy Cooper (Democrat of North Carolina) and his wife, Kristin, arrive for the State Dinner honoring Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of Australia and Jodie Haydon in the Booksellers area of the White House. Featuring: Roy Cooper, Kristin Cooper Where: Washington, District of Columbia, United States When: 25 Oct 2023 Credit: Ron Sachs/CNP/startraksphoto.com
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- Governor Roy Cooper (Democrat of North Carolina) speaks with guests after a ceremony unveiling a statue of the late Reverend Billy Graham. Featuring: Roy Cooper Where: Washington, District of Columbia, United States When: 16 May 2024 Credit: CNP/INSTARimages
Don’t sleep on Beshear.
100%. I think Beshear fits the need for this race to a tee. Much stronger to me (Southern state, gov, cross-party, Christian, etc.) than Kelly for this particular race. Don’t get me wrong, Kelly is great. But just think the strategy for this race favors Beshear or Cooper.
I think it will be Cooper because he is the most readily available. The Dems tiny margin in the Senate means any vacancy for even a short time jeopardizes Biden agenda in his final months. Beshear was just re-elected in a state where it will be hard for another Dem to get elected.Cooper is term limited so he is out and Dems want to hold the governor’s seat in that state.
Megan is right about Cooper being readily available and him being at the end of his term already unable to run for re-election, so there’s no risk to choosing him
Beshear is popular & effective, not to mention a great foil for Shillbilly Vance but, as noted by Megan, he’s at the beginning of a term in a deep red state. Kentucky papers are also saying he probably can’t deliver much in the way of electoral votes
A lot of polls are bully on Kelly. He brings a lot to the table as a decorated veteran and former astronaut, and would definitely be seen as a plus when it comes to issues related to our southern border. Katie Hobbs (AZ gov) is a Dem and would name a Dem to replace Kelly.
My Southern relatives also prefer Beshear over Cooper. They find him more charismatic and liked how he handled the storms.
Further, I’m afraid she does need a white guy, but I think bland would be a mistake. The most important part is someone who works well with her though! Wishing her lots of luck with her running mate choice!
Listen up: I just got a text from a friend who was shocked to learn that she wasn’t listed to vote. To be on the safe side Get. In. Touch. With. Your Board of Elections. And Make Sure You Are Indeed Registered To Vote!!
I think Governor Cooper has withdrawn because his Lt Gov is that Republican lunatic, and he doesn’t want him to get up to shenanigans if he’s doing extensive travel
I’m sooo here for Uncle Andy. I’m a progressive from Kentucky so he wasn’t my most favorite in 2019 but the way he handled the pandemic, the Eastern Ky floods, and the Western Ky tornadoes, along with the Republican supermajority in the state house has turned me into a ride or die Andy supporter. He has done such a fantastic job as a governor and knows how to work with people in red states, which is important. I love him and also think he would be a good strategic choice. I’m also a big fan of Mark Kelly, but I’d like to see a (my) southern governor on the ticket.
Thank you for that. I saw an interview he did and I came away that he wasn’t strongly articulate enough to go against Vance. But maybe it was a one off. I’m a big fan of Pete Buttigieg, and I’m very sad this probably won’t happen.
Yes, optics play a huge factor in these type situations. Apparently, he’s a decent governor, he and his wife give off that Kennedy-ish youthfulness that appeals to a lot of people (ie getting the kiddies to the polls) and he’s from a southern state. Don’t think they’d they’d want to risk Kelly’s AZ seat.
“that”
Kelly’s seat in Arizona has a Dem governor who can pick his replacement, so that’s not an issue thankfully.
And current Arizona law mandates that any replacement senator be of the same political party as the senator who leaves.
FloridaWoman – AZ statute requires the replacement for senator vacating must be of the same party – D in this case. The only thing added by Dem governor is inside knowledge and not being outright hostile.
To clarify my point about losing Kelly’s seat in AZ…even a Dem replacement would have to run in 2yrs in a Special Election. From what I understand, if they win that, they’d have to turn around and run again in 2 more years for a full 6year term. Kelly would probably be able to hold on to the seat.
That man did a great audition for Harris on Monday he was hilarious. But he wasn’t included til last night.
FYI, Black women on Twitter/threads showed that Josh Shapiro helped hush up a sex harassment case with his senior aide last year, so there’s no way he’s getting picked now.
I actually think Mark Kelly would be the best pick. He is ex-military, fought for gun control…both things Trump does NOT like
Agreed, he is a solid choice and appeals to people in a solidly red state
Can I propose Andy Besher, Gov of KY. He is young and very good speaker. A lot of talk about Mark Kelly. I know he seems like a nice guy but he is a lousy public speaker. If he goes up against JD Vance it will be like the Trump/Biden debate from 3 weeks ago. A governor adds gravitas to the ticket.
If you haven’t see it, check out #heaintfromhere on the site formerly known as Twitter. They are dragging Vance to hell after Beshear tore the hide of off him during an interview.
I cried laughing.
i love the ones that are just dragging him for washing his cast iron skillet. One was like HE PUTS IT IN THE DISHWASHER!!!!
Becks1. I did see it and you are right. Beecher nailed Vance. It was a sight to be seen!
This. I really really like Mark Kelly but I am absolutely concerned with how a debate would go. I want an attorney in there to go up against Vance. We need the VP debate to be a slam dunk and to check-mate the Trump ticket.
@Jill…Kelly is calm and level headed…everything Trump and Vance are not
I think the biggest problem with Beshear is that Ds will lose a governorship of a very red state, and his likely R successor will undo all the good things he has done.
I admire Mark Kelly a great deal, and I think he would be an amazing VP. However, I doubt that he will ultimately accept. I think because he is so protective of Gabrielle, he won’t be willing to subject her to the scrutiny or the pressure of that role. It’s a 24 hour a day job for him, and even if she didn’t engage fully, it would be a terrible strain.
The Kentuckians I’ve talked to are saying they’re confident in their lieutenant governor if Beshear is selected. As a North Carolinian, I will say that the drawback to Cooper is specifically for us – our Lt. Gov steps in when Gov is out of state, so for any out of state campaigning we’d have Mark Robinson at the helm. Mark. Robinson.
Please pick Beshear. Please.
This is a really good point that I hadn’t considered
Wow, I totally disagree – I think it’s a two-man race between Kelly or Shapiro, with Shapiro having the edge. What baggage does he bring? Pennsylvania is a fierce battleground state, she needs the East or Midwest (so that rules out Kelly whom otherwise I like) and it could be seen as a gracious nod to Biden to select someone from Pennsylvania.
The others don’t have a hope IMO. I agree she needs a solid white dude to bring in those who clench at the thought of a Black woman president. She needs geographical reach. The others don’t bring that. No one cares about Kentucky votes-wise or thinks she’ll have coattails there. And Pritzker? Other than money he doesn’t bring anything BUT baggage….and don’t even talk to me about Newsom, there’s no way in hell even if he was interested that the US would vote for a full-on California ticket…
Shapiro is in favor of school vouchers and wanted to put male juveniles alongside a maximum security prison.
https://www.lehighvalleynews.com/state-regional-news/shapiro-recommits-to-school-vouchers-during-business-matters-interview
https://jlc.org/news/shapiros-18m-plan-would-house-youth-grounds-maximum-security-mens-prison
Kelly voted against the the Pro Act.
Beshear is young and progressive in a deep red state. I think he or MN Gov Tim Walz are the best choices, though I have PTSD from 2016 about a genial white guy named Tim as VP for a woman.
Finally someone mentions Walz. Unlike Kaine, Walz isn’t boring and he’s gotten more accomplished as Governor of MN than just about any Governor in the country with razor thin margins in the state senate. He’s funny and is great on offense. Plus being ex-military and an ex-teacher makes him my dream pick.
If I can’t have him, the only other choice is Shapiro who would seal PA for Dems.
Hello from Minnesota. Walz is a great governor and is a lot more exciting than he looks. She should look hard at him and I’m sure she will.
Geographical balance hasn’t been a thing since 1992 when Clinton picked his fellow southerner, Al Gore. That’s when that campaign really took off.
Tim Walz is PHENOMENAL and so so eloquent.
Most people outside of Minnesota don’t realize how rural this state is. Outside of the Twin Cities, Rochester, and Duluth, it’s heavily rural. Walz, like our Senator, Amy Klobuchar, mops up in the rural areas when they are on the ballot. That could help with rural white voters in states like Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Not to mention here in Minnesota where too many voters have been looking seriously at Trump.
Thanks for the heads up on Walz, everyone. I just took a closer look. Honestly, he’s probably the most fitting in terms of swing state votes (especially from the central/ mid western states). Clearly his background means he can communicate with voters that VP Harris might not appeal to as much and he broaden the ticket. We really have a lot of talent in our party right now!
I love me some Walz but MN is a freak state like Florida or Alaska politically. The state party is officially named the Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL) for heaven’s sake. What works locally doesn’t translate nationally.
DO NOT BE STEALING OUR MAN WALZ. Without him, Minnesota would not be the island of sanity in a sea of red that it is.
Besides, we need him in 2032 on a ticket with Buttigieg when Harris finishes her second term.
Rnot: He’s a Democrat. Full stop. The state party calling itself DFL is idiosyncratic but hardly freakish. It a way to say we have a big tent.
Work to wander: Governor Walz is already sixty so if he’s going to move into national politics, now is the time. Then we can have Peggy Flanagan, an Indigenous woman, as governor!
I wish I had a link, but there is a YouTube video of Walz on Morning Joe yesterday. I urge everyone interested in who will be Kamala’s running mate to watch it. It’s a hell of an audition.
I’m glad you mentioned Walz. I’ve been seeing his interviews on Twitter and he holds no punches. Very plain-speaking and his background in military and education are both plusses.
“ Shapiro having the edge. What baggage does he bring?”
I don’t support this idea and it’s not my view…but a lot of young people really care about the Israel/Palestine issue, and they might be less excited to turn out if the VP is a strong supporter of Israel in the war.
I know that you can be of the Jewish faith and disagree with Netanyahu, but some might hold it against him. Lots of antisemitism of various degrees running through the US right now, sadly.
Interesting when someone’s faith is described as “baggage.’ Guess we’re not that long from the days when Kennedy’s Catholicism made a lot of people clutch their pearls… it’s sad.
I appreciate the point you are making that someone’s Jewish faith can be separate from political views on Israel and especially Netanyahu, though. I wish everyone could be as nuanced!
It is sad. I have dearly loved family members who are Jewish, and I might be hyper aware of the antisemitism that’s been brewing this year. It terrifies me. And it greatly saddens me how much of it is coming from young people.
@Tiffany I completely agree. From NC so I haven’t heard of Shapiro prominently until today and already on my timeline several Black commentators, posters, and prominent blue checks were against Shapiro and rolling their eyes precisely due to his aggressively supportive stance with Israel and Netanyahu.
Shapiro’s “baggage” is not his Jewish faith. There are plenty of people of the Jewish faith who do not support giving a blank check to Netanyahu and are in favor of a ceasefire, including Israelis (our media did not cover the large protests that occurred in Tel Aviv in favor of a ceasefire). Shapiro’s “baggage”, among other things, is that he is a staunch supporter of a right wing Israeli Prime Minister that many (including the ICJ) have accused of perpetuating a genocide. He is in favor of a bill in Pa that would strip funding from colleges that divest or protest Israel.
He was also allegedly involved in a cover-up of accusations of sexual harassment against his top aide last year. You can’t campaign against Trump and his sexual crimes when you have someone who condoned sexual harassment on your ticket. For progressives, his stance of school vouchers and criminal justice reform is problematic. If he is picked it would quell so much enthusiasm and hope that young voters and progressive have for Harris.
Shapiro will not be picked with the Israel Palestine war going on. The young voters are especially pro Palestine and will not vote for Shapiro. I’m sure Kamala knows this.
That helps me breathe a bit better. On a personal note, the Israel Palestine war factors very heavily in my comfort with candidates and I’m so proud of the younger voices holding the Dems feet to the fire over it.
I live in NC and Cooper gets things done especially when we have a state congress that is mostly democrats. We don’t have that now. He brought a lot of jobs to this state and when covid hit he did his best to keep people safe . He is scandal free and I believe he would make a great VP do I would pick him.
As a fellow North Carolinian, I’d love to see Cooper on the ticket as I think it will also help with Josh Stein’s governor race (since Stein is running against another terrifying Republican pick). Cooper also won’t disrupt currently held seats since he’s term limited for NC governor.
But I think Beshear or Kelly are more likely choices based on age. I like Shapiro and I know Pa. is important, but Shapiro was recently elected as governor.
Only baggage I have seen so far with Kelly is he’s the only Democratic senator to not support legislation that would make it easier to unionize and labor leaders have expressed some concern over him.
Roy also looks good for business, which counters the Tech Bros for Vance money push. And he really is scandal free — for a quick vetting he’s about the only one who can pass easily.
I came here to say the same thing! I have really liked Cooper as a Govenor.
I grew up in NC and my family is still there. Cooper is great and was such a relief after he course corrected NC from Governor bathroom bill. He would definitely put NC in play. I like a lot of these contenders. Kelly is amazing and so are the others. As long as they are not doing weird things with their sofas and calling women without children “miserable cat ladies” it is a good candidate. With Vance the bar is so low it has to look up to see Hell.
I think it’s going to come down to Kelly or Shapiro, and I’m leaning towards it being Kelly. Combat Navy pilot, NASA shuttle pilot, and Senator. Common sense gun laws are a big deal to most Democrats too, and that’s a deeply personal issue to him.
I wouldn’t be surprised if this decision has been in the works and done for a while now.
Kelly has a story. I am all for Kelly. IVF, wife’s near assassination, NASA, and he is not a career politician.
He may a white male, but he is an accomplished person, admirable even.
Please, don’t let it be Pritzker.
I really, really like Kelly, but what I like even more is that Democrats have a deep bench to choose from. Since the Republicans ended up with Vance I’m going to guess that they did not.
Kelly has military/astronaut history and is proficient with foreign relations, he’s already been to Mexico to work with their new woman president because of the border they share. Closely partnering with Mexico to achieve border goals is smart. Biden won AZ by only 10,000 votes, it’s a tossup state. I could really see his appeal to independents and rural America, seems really comfortable in small towns.
Can democrats risk losing him in the senate though? That’s a huge downside to him.
Arizona’s Democratic governor would appoint his replacement for the rest of his term.
Kelly neutralizes a lot of the macho/martyr image that Trump gained with the assassination attempt.
I’m all for Kelly. When I was working on my masters in Public Policy he actually sat with me and some of my classmates while we worked on a class project. He was just on a bike ride with his wife Gabby (she’s super active despite her limitations) and was listening to us while we worked in a coffee shop; gave us a few pointers that were suuuuper helpful. Solid dude. He’s also a next-door neighbor to a close friend and says that Mark and Gabby are genuinely nice and warm people.
I would also add, Kelly could bring a focus back on the value of science and most astronauts develop a sense of high environmental protection after seeing Earth from orbit. So, this could play well also, for the environmental young people.
Aside from not picking a VP from the same region, union leadership opposes Kelly because of his opposition to the Pro-Act, which protects workers’ right to form unions. So I’m guessing it will not be him, although he checks all the other boxes
Shapiro is too conservative and the Democrats will lose that seat if they remove Kelly from the senate.
I’m sure they are also considering who is in line to replace them/can they get another Dem voted in for some of them. Becuase long term is it better to have this person as VP or keep them where they are and have a Dem Sen/Gov/rep who can actively help with policy on the ground.
The whole anti-Putin online military brigade would vote for a Harris-Kelly ticket in *swarms* because there’s a sense that there would be no more shilly-shallying, and Russia would finally get its ass kicked out of Ukraine. But they might need Kelly in the Senate still. I hope it’s him because the Dems need all the fighting power they can get, not just another Casper the Friendly Ghost VP.
AZ’s governor is a Democrat, so Kelly’s replacement would be a Democrat.
North Carolinian here, and, yep, I do love my Governor. He is a thoroughly normal and good man who has been an unflinching bulwark against the worst impulses of our malicious GOP. He is also, however, the opposite of electrifying. Maybe that’s good?
I read yesterday that Kelly also comes with pretty significant baggage because of some of his labor stances. The unions don’t like him.
In the end, I don’t care who she picks as long as we win. I see pros and cons with them all and she is never going to make everyone happy. I’ll learn to love her choice.
Speaking of labor, I would LOVE to see Sherrod Brown as VP Harris’s running mate, even though he’s not even a contender. He is very pro-labor and advocated for organizing at the grand opening of Fuyao Glass in Dayton, OH. He was there for the ribbon-cutting and pissed everyone off by encouraging the workers to unionize. It’s covered in the Oscar-winning documentary American Factory. Furthermore, he supported the Wright State faculty’s strike.
Lastly, I am personally so grateful to him. During the Kavanaugh confirmation, I sent emails to my congressman and both Ohio senators. They all sent form letters, but Senator Brown’s form letter was incredibly empathetic and moving. I’d identified myself as a survivor, and he added a beautiful, hand-written note to me at the bottom of the form letter that responded to specific things I’d shared in my email.
I know none of that makes him a viable pick, but I’ll forever admire him.
I adore Sherrod Brown. Hope he is reelected to the Senate.
Cooper is my Gov and I have met him several times and know someone who works closely with him. He is not a nice guy, actually he is wretched as is his wife. Is he as bad as Trump, no, but seriously anyone but Cooper.
I would personally love for it to be Mark Kelly.
I’ve never heard a word against him. How is he “wretched”?
Salema– tell me more….
Cooper is also my governor, but I know shockingly little about him other than that he has managed to keep things remarkably ok(ish) in NC despite the far-right takeover of so much else.
Sidenote– amazing to see so many NC celebitchies in the thread!
I lived in NC for 12 years and have a soft spot for the state having so many college friends still there. Great to see NCers on here!!
Yes, would like to hear more about how Cooper is wretched? I’ve never heard anyone but MAGA say a negative word about him. I know plenty of people in the Triangle who interact with him regularly.
This doesn’t track for me either…have also met him on a few occasions (as far back as when he was the NC Attorney General) and also have friends who work with him regularly. They all find him delightful and have nothing but positive things to say. The only people I know who don’t like him are on the extreme right…and they haven’t personally interacted with him. He’s a man who brings the calm, if that’s a useful character trait in national politics I can’t say, but we used to call him Papa Cooper (or Daddy Cooper) at the school I taught at during the pandemic because his press updates were so soothing.
Interesting how rumors start.
Born and Bred (as they say) North Carolinian and I haven’t heard people say anything like that about Cooper. Even when the conservative citizens were ticked at him for his mask mandates and handling of COVID and shutting down schools, wretched was not close to any of the negatives people had to say.
Same, born and bred. A close family member worked closely with him for years and has never had a bad word to say about him.
It is wild to me that my governor, Roy Cooper, is even in this conversation. Lol.
I really wish it could be Buttigieg. He has really impressed me as Transportation Secretary, and that’s usually not a department I hear much about.
Him being gay, though, very sadly, precludes him. I do hope, though, he’s going more to do in a Harris administration.
Buttigeig will always be remembered as a failure during the transportation crisis involving the container ships. Every time he tried to explain why he was taking a leave of absence while the crisis was effecting the average person’s life was galling not impressive. My father who was a construction manager went to work and came home cooked for us kids while my mom was ill. Voters remember things like this.
It astounds me how much people forget and gloss over with Buttigeig. I remember the Black voices from his own constituents who were mad about his handling of the firing of Darryl Boykins, South Bend’s first black chief of police. There is no way the Dems want to further erode the Black male vote by having someone with that level of baggage especially after recent events with Sonya Massey.
I’m sorry that affected you so much, but if we’re being totally honest, I don’t think most people remember this, nor do most people hold him accountable for something that was a worldwide issue. (Worldwide issue assuming I’m even remembering the correct thing – I presume the issue that came up during the pandemic with China refusing ships, the ship getting stuck in the Panama canal, etc., while he was on paternity leave with infant twins who required hospitalization?)
@Pistachio I mean the issues swirling Buttigeig isn’t a myopic concern either. In a lot of Black spaces I’m in, he isn’t really a lantern either and his campaign run fizzled out for a reason. I think he’s fine serving as he does as a cabinet member, but VP or Pres is an interesting stretch. Outside of racial baggage his reception is milquetoast at best. Not to be in an echo chamber outside of this sphere Buttigeig doesn’t get the high temperature support he needs to be on the level of VP.
Your wish may come true it was just announced that he is being considered!!
What about his performance as Transportation Secretary impresses you?
Kelly means potentially losing a Senate seat. Let’s not do that.
In AZ the Governor is a Democrat would appoint a new senator. Their law requires it be someone of the same party, so if he was tapped as VP his seat would be replaced by another Democrat to finish his term.
okay – that is good to know! so we wouldn’t lose a seat, at least not right off the bat.
A democrat can be appointed but that doesn’t mean they will be helpful or even useful.
Unfortunately we’ve learned the hard way with Manchin, Simera etc that some “Democrats” work to thwart them leave the party.
It’s a big risk to replace an active helping sitting Senator.
My money is on Kelly or Bashear. Kelly may be from the West but he’s from a Red state that is a BORDER state – which mean be has bona fides in regards to immigration and can speak on it with some authority.
I really like Shapiro, Beshear and Kelly
Shapiro or Bashear. We need to go young to balance out Vance.
Vance might not be around for long. I believe a lettuce watch has been started.
That’s funny. Lmao.
Beshear is not in the running because the Harris campaign didn’t send him the papers for consideration that they sent to other potential VP picks. This acknowledgement came from Beshear himself.
I know it is petty, but I heard the same rumblings that Dem Leadership wanted him at the top of the ticket. That he would even allow this makes me say no to Kelly. I am with Cooper. Hoping that he will bring Mod, Ind from the south and hopefully help Josh Stein beat Mark Robinson. Robinson is full on maga and a deranged man.
why would Dem leadership thinking Kelly would work at the top of the ticket be a negative? We should want someone we think will add to the ticket as Harris’ running mate and her next in line. The goal would ultimately be 2 terms of Harris-VP and the VP being strong enough (and being seen as strong enough) to have the incumbency edge when running for POTUS.
I think it will only be Kelly if they can ensure the seat stays blue. holding the senate is too important right now. I agree he would be a good pick, but we need that blue seat.
I will say – he’s a boring white man yes – but Shapiro is very good on social media – or whoever runs his social media is, lol. He’ll put out a lot of tiktok-esque clips – he had one a few months ago about whether or not PA would ban abortion or something and the clip was just him looking at the camera going “this ain’t texas” to beyonce. And there have been a few others like that where I’m like, oh that’s actually funny. someone knows what they are doing.
And he would help us with Pennyslvania which at this point is more important than Kentucky, sorry KY.
I think it will be Shapiro or Cooper.
Re: Kelly, AZ requires that his seat be filled by the same party.
That would still mean whoever replaces him would have to compete for seat in a couple years, thus risk losing a Senate seat.
There is always a risk of losing a seat in an election. My first thought was Kelly too. Plus someone said that he and Kamala have a relationship already working on gun control issues.
The social media talent will be critical to this election, so that’s another huge plus in Shapiro’s column. So many Americans only understand news through social media, and it’s a big explanation for Trump’s continued hold over a huge slice of otherwise rational people… Add in Russian bot influence and the Dems have to absolutely bring it with a top notch social media team…
We love our Andy “Bae-shear” here in Kentucky. He’s the real deal. He got us through Covid with the GOP fighting him tooth and nail.
Kelly has zero executive experience and is a first-time senator. I’m afraid I have to disagree with choosing him.
Shapiro is fantastic and would help us where we need help to win also. Pennsylvania is an important state for us. He is Jewish. God forbid, we have a Jewish First Husband and Jewish vice president during such an anti-Semitic period in the USA.
But Kelly being new to politics helps against the “insider” arguments the other side pretend to rage against. He’s such a brilliant choice for really rounding out the ticket to try to reach past party lines. I would think it could help pull from those who aren’t under Trump’s spell.
Kelly really does bring the most to the table, and he’s definitely not a career politician.
That’s why I’m leaning towards him, I think he might bring voters who aren’t sure about Harris on her own, and that’s the goal.
He’s been a US Senator the same amount of time Obama was when he was elected POTUS, and prior to that he was a Navy pilot and a NASA astronaut/shuttle pilot, so it’s not like he was working in the private sector.
Maybe he swings Arizona too? Beshear sounds good too but Kentucky isn’t going blue for POTUS no matter what.
@Lucy2 Obama was an Illinois State senator for seven years before serving one term as a U.S. senator. People act like it’s great that Kelly is not a career politician. Well, that’s fine for VP, but what if something happens to Kamala? The vice president will be POTUS and running the country, dealing with foreign affairs.
I am someone who wants someone with political experience, able to step into the job as POTUS on day one if something were to happen. Strong political experience is a good thing, to me a necessary job qualification, not a bad thing.
I mean, of course, that could all be moot, and the VP would never need to step in. But it has to be considered when picking a VP.
I have listened to each man on the list and they are not boring. I see the reason the people voted for them and they won. In my opinion only, I like Beshear because he knows how to refute and rebuttal J. D. Vance. He has already done it and called him out as a hypocrite who pretends to be a hillbilly while in the lap of billionaires. Cooper is needed in North Carolina to stop the Republicans from gutting the gains the Democrats have made in the state and to turn it completely blue.
I live in North Carolina and while Roy Cooper isn’t exciting, he’s also no Tim Kaine. He has been an OUTSTANDING Governor in a state with one of the worst gerrymandered legislatures in the country. His handling of COVID saved lives and he has been nothing short of tremendous with all odds stacked against him.
Hear, hear!!
With JD Vance having a -6pt net favorable rating after the RNC convention (the lowest of any VP since 1980), almost any of the contenders recommended would be fine. JD has no charisma, is boring and a flip flopper. I think most voters are looking for stability and competency in an administration, not chaos and petty vengeance. I personally would love to see a Kamala Harris/Jasmine Crockett (Democratic Congresswoman from Texas) ticket but having 2 Black women on a presidential ticket who would work hard for this country would break most people’s brains (esp racists and sexists). But I’m a big picture person and know that the DNC would pick a competent white guy who would help Harris win.
PIcking someone from Texas as a VP does zero for us. Without enough electoral votes, we lose. The swing states are what are most important.
Statistically a VP has never turned their state. It doesn’t matter what state the VP is from. They need to be nationally popular and unproblematic. Harris herself has to turn the swing states.
I think it’s between Cooper and Beshear. I think Kamala should pick Beshear because he’s younger.
Amy Bee, I agree.
@Mila thanks! I saw that a special election would be necessary and nope. But if it’s an appointee, then okay.
I just want to say how nice it is to hear all of your opinions on the other candidates and how positive they are. I’m in AZ and love the idea of Kelly on the ticket, but it makes me feel so much better to hear that there are seemingly several other great options too from others who have experienced it first hand!
Same (raises hand in Tucson). I honestly would like any of the candidates on the ticket, but I’m obviously partial to Mark Kelly.
ANDY BESHEAR
Governor of Kentucky, 46
and no one else.
YES! We need a popular southerner to pick up votes in the south. Beshear is a Dem, but he governs as a moderate. His presence on the ticket could attract independents, anti-Trumpers, and disaffected Repubs who regard Harris as too liberal. Would love to see 2 women on the ticket, but portions of our nation aren’t “there” yet.
And it’s sad that we even have to ponder that. How many decades – centuries- with two men on the ticket and no one complained about that? Pretty sure in many of the countries that have had female leaders, 2 women in a ticket would surprise no one. How can we still have so much misogyny here?
67 is kind of old if you’re thinking about 8 years as VP and then running for president.
Exactly. He’d end both terms at 75, which is still ok, but could not run for president. I know people age differently, but after what happened to Biden I don’t think anyone wants a president starting his term in his mid to late 70’s.
Im in NC as well and I also love Cooper but I do feel like his age stands out as a negative compared to the other options. I’d be happy if he was chosen if it meant ensuring NC went blue but I’m more excited by Beshear as an option the more I learn about him.
Even though I feel he falter a bit under the conservative scrutiny here in the state. I’ve been pleased with Cooper. The way that man weathered the hate he was receiving is admirable. Also, his wife was in education. They have been a great look here in NC, he stepped in after we had all of that controversy from our past governors. Ugh the scandal that all caused.
I agree. Because Harris at 59 is not exactly a spring chicken (although she looks younger), so a younger man would give that youth to the ticket which makes Trump look even older 🤣
The only one on that list I like for VP is Pritzker. I don’t think the Dems should make the mistake of removing Kelly from the Senate and opening that seat up for an election. I like Pritzker ‘cuz he’s a really good debater (well, and his family have their name on an award). He’ll wipe the floor with JD “I Hate childless women” Vance. It’s the same reason I like Gary Newsome, but he’s not on anyone’s list. I just wish the Dems had the guts to put two women on the ticket.
Kelly’s seat would stay Dem from what I’ve heard.
Illinois is a safe blue state, we REALLY need help winning swing states. We’ve been behind all year and are still an underdog in this race. Republicans are very good closers and Trump doesn’t have an ethical bone in his body. I trust nothing about Trump or his foreign handlers.
Since when has a VP candidate won a state for anyone? California was a safe state when Kamala was picked.
Prtizker is my Governor. And we do not want to give him up here in Illinois. Illinois is a Blue State so he’s not going to really bring anything to the ticket.
Kelly most recently won in 2022, so with an appointed replacement his seat is a safe Democrat seat until 2028, right? The remainder of his 6 year term.
From what I read, if Kelly resigns, his replacement would have to run in a Special Election in 2 year, winning that, would have to run again in 2 years for a complete 6year term. Arizonians, please correct me☺️
Pullitzer? Gavin?
It has to be Beshear. Lt. governor is Jacqueline Coleman, a Dem, so the office would be, safely, in Dem hands. Also this could put her in a good spot to run for governor, herself. Cooper would be replaced by Mark Robinson, a MAGA’s MAGA. Cooper can’t run again, but he’s popular. His presence may help another Dem take the governorship in the next election. Mark Kelly is the only Dem senator in Arizona now that Sinema went independent. Yes, the governor is a Dem, but Hobbs squeaked in against Trump fave Kari Lake. And Lake is after a senate seat. Best bet is Beshear.
Out of these names, my fave is Beshear. I like him because red state Kentucky loves him, he’s young, can interview/debate well and has some charisma. He also is termed-out as governor and KY is a swing state. He checks all the boxes, plus one extra box: he could be presidential material down the line. To me, that eliminates Cooper, Kelly (who needs to keep that blue Senate seat) and Shapiro (ugh, pro-school vouchers and cracked down on Gaza support rallies on college campuses).
Maybe a future Beshear/Buttigieg ticket??
Kentucky is not a swing state.
It’s not, but someone elected to the governor twice in a deeply red state like Kentucky could have some appeal in North Carolina, Georgia, etc.
Apologies! Kentucky is not a swing state, but as Becks1 points out, Andy could have a lot of appeal to southern states (which are all red). The only strange thing to me is how KY can elect Beshear…and Mitch McConnell. 🤷♀️
@Mrs. Smith – and let’s not forget Rand Paul. Actually, I would love to forget him.
Why hasn’t anyone considered Beto O’Rourke, who’s also young? Because it’s Texas and we need East Coast? I don’t think that’s so important.
Another NC here, and I’d love it to be Cooper, but I get the concerns about his “age”. While he’s a spring chicken at 67 compared to a lot of our leaders, he’s the oldest of the VP candidates and I think it’s best they avoid any age stuff now. so, Bashear or Shapiro?
I’ll be happy to see more of Cooper if this pans out. He doesn’t strike me as someone who wants to do more than passively support in a role like VP. So 67 isn’t bad in that context.
It has to be Shapiro. 19 electoral votes.
I’m convinced Kelly is the ideal choice. I’m from PA and am pleased our governor is being considered, but I don’t care one iota that Kelly and Kamala are both from the West Coast. Let us keep our governor, he’s fairly new to the job. For balance, DO NOT put two lawyers on the ticket! I feel that is more alienating. Bringing in Kelly is such a good balance and completely negates any R talking points about border control, assassination attempt, and the white male tears. My staunchly Republican husband who hates both options will vote for Kamala if Kelly is the VP. They’d be unbeatable!!!
I lived for 40 years in southern Indiana, literally looking at Louisville Kentucky. Louisville and Lexington LOVE Beshear, as do I. The rest of the state? NOOOOO. No way in hell do any electoral votes come with Beshear unfortunately.
I wish it could be Pete. I hope I live long enough to see him be President.
I’m in NC and I love Roy Cooper, he’s been fantastic holding the line against our almost-supermajority gop legislature. He speaks well as a former AG, no scandals or skeletons, family man, but he is very very low key, and most outside NC don’t know who he is. He’s also on the older side at 67. Much as I think he would be a fantastic VP in practice, I’m not sure he’s the right strategic choice. I like Kelly a lot, but I’m thinking more towards Beshear for a younger ticket and looking 8 years down the road. Breaks my heart that Buttigieg probably won’t be considered – he is truly the best and smartest political mind in the country right now. Maybe in a few years, maybe Secretary of State?
I agree. Whip smart and able to debate republicans tête-à-tête on Fox News. And he always wins the debate.
Pete Buttigieg is very well spoken; what about General McCreavy?
With no offense meant I just hope whoever is picked isn’t another Tim Kaine. He seemed a lovely man but zero X factor. Each listed option will have his pros and cons and I don’t have too much of an opinion as Pritkzer is the only one I follow much having lived in IL. He would be good personality wise but he could do that as a surrogate as I agree politically and geographically he’s neutral.
But let’s be smart and ease off the boring white guy trope at least for our side. They still serve a purpose 🙂 and I’m sure we have a few good ones and hopefully one will be picked here. JD Vance is so charisma deficit awful we’ll be ahead regardless, fingers crossed.
Just need to also sing the praises of Roy Cooper. He’s been a fantastic governor, but I would love for him to run for Senate in two years.
Straight white male….
I really love Gretchen Whitmer. If the American public wasn’t so misogynistic, I think they would make a wonderful team.
Yes, I would so love a ticket with two smart women. And it could pull some white women perhaps who betrayed us in 2016.
As much as I’d like to see Cooper get it and turn my former state blue for sure, I think Beshear is the BEST pick against Vance and Trump. A red state with the Appalachia/ rust belt issues is what we need on the ticket. He represents the demographic that was really struggling and had been for decades and heard nothing but good things about him and his state. Middle of the road, middle America young white family man is what we need.
I’m an Illinois resident and I’m happy to have Pritzker as governor (though it’s not hard to make it to the top of the pile of Illinois governors), but I don’t think he’s the optimal VP choice.
I do like to imagine that the existence of Pritzker, an actual billionaire whose family wealth comes from a hotel chain and who makes real charitable contributions, particularly enrages Trump.
I favour Shapiro. He’s articulate , very intelligent , young and has a great track record. Plus I think he would deliver Pennsylvania.Is his baggage that he is Jewish in these anti-semitic times?
The way Shapiro handled the protests surrounding the Isral-Palestinian war was very polarizing. It will be harder to make the case that Harris is making right now about protecting American democracy and freedom if she has a man on her ticket who stuck the police on protesters who were asking for peace in the way he did. There’s apparently also an issue of him allegedly covering up harassment by his employees; Kamala cant afford for her VP pick to be the topic of conversation. She’s gotta get the most boring non controversial white guy she can find.
@Chelsea, I see your points.
I feel like the optics of a billionaire businessman might not go over well with the younger generations.
I wouldn’t sleep on Tim Walz. He’s getting overlooked because he’s not as photogenic as the other guys but he’s only 60 and has done a great job on tv these last few days for Harris. He’s also from a very small rural town, served 20+ years in the army, and has won against Republican incumbents. I think he or Beshear would be the ideal candidates though Cooper would be good as well.
If I were Kamala now I’d be having a hard time falling asleep with the weight of this decision! So many choices, all good, but none 100% issue-less.
I think it should be between Peter and Andy. Kelly is not union friendly and Shapiro has an issue with Israel and student vouchers.
Kelly has announced he would back pro union legislation in the last day. I agree that being pro union is important.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/mark-kelly-endorses-pro-act_n_66a1406ce4b04ed80d3a2a86
It is about who can help us in a battleground state, period, end of story. Don’t ever forget Hillary’s loss.
Biden was the answer to get us back in the game with some states. Kamala won’t have that advantage, most likely, being a woman of color from a liberal state, California, even if she was Joe’s VP. I mean, even Joe Biden had not been polling well recently in some states that helped us last time. It is huge who her VP pick is to help us have a pathway on the map to get enough electoral votes to complement her strengths in bringing out the Democratic voters overall in states. Like, I am praying she might be able to bring us Georgia again, and not be a fluke of just the last election.
Beshear, Kelly, or Shapiro are your best bet for Harrris, IMO. Beshear has the middle state appeal. Shapiro could lock in Pennsylvania. Kelly would be easy to replace since abortion is on the ballot in AZ and is bound to get high turnout since they’re pissed about the 1800s law that almost went into effect.
Walz is good but not strategic, IMO. Minnesota is a solidly blue state, even if he has small town appeal. Buttegeig is sharp and good for a one liner but…no. Not in this environment. Not with the anti-LGBT sentiments around. Even some people on the left are getting antsy about the gender and HRT discourse. Kamala Harris is going to have enough against her as a mixed race woman. A gay man is just going to rile the culture warriors.
Since I am not American, I did some research on my own and also came to Kelly and Beshear as my most likely candidates.
Kelly might bring in votes from Swing State Pennsylvania, so I found it hard, since I slightly liked Beshear more from what I heard about him, though both seem to do good things.
Statistically a VP has never turned their state. It doesn’t matter what state the VP is from. They need to be unproblematic and if possible nationally known and well liked and seen to be competent (a unicorn but again as much as possible). Harris herself has to turn the swing states. Her supporters need to be working non-stop in swing states.
Pete B all the way!
I’d accept Shapiro too.
Not worried if the pick is not necessarily on board with a lot of these positions. The VP follows the President’s direction, doesn’t matter if its not the VP’s position. He/she will back the president. (Biden did not agree with everything Obama did yet never went against him.
I don’t want to see Democrats losing senate seats or governorships over a VPpic.
My concern with Beshear is that another Democrat is unlikely to win Governor in Kentucky. I would prefer the person come from a seat Democrat have a chance of winning once it vacated.
Hi a Brit here I hadn’t realised quite how critical the VP choice was, other than of course knowing that you have to accept that they may become president if for any reason the President is not in charge. What do you all think of Trump’s choice? I have found ( as I say as a Brit so I have no skin in the game) that both Trump and Vance have been unnecessarily unkind about Biden since the announcement. But then Gracious and Trump don’t go together, and am I right that the Trumps didn’t even attend Biden’s inauguration?
LRB, Vance, I think 2015?, was saying that Trump was a Nazi, etc. Now Vance is saying he’s wonderful, that women must say in abusive marriages for the children, that women should not have abortions for ANY REASON, etc. He’s got all of the talking points of Project 2025 down pat and isn’t afraid to spew them. He’s not charismatic and he’ll be putting his foot in his mouth before we know it. I can see that he and Trump will be at each other’s throats before long. On the Democrats side, they love that Vance was chosen because it will help them.
Of course they’re being unkind to Biden. They were behind the entire backlash on Biden after the debates. They counted on Biden to run so that could keep up their whole thing of he’s too old and senile (there’s nothing wrong with his mind). Now, the Republicans are freaking out because they have to figure out how to run again Harris.
Watch this. Pete Buttigieg, one of our best leaders and minds in the Democratic Party, talks about Vance and his ilk with Bill Maher. We are so blessed to have the brilliant Pete Buttigieg out there informing the public of the truth and representing our party. Also, he was on CNN last night on Kaitlan Collins’ show, and he was brilliant, as was Elizabeth Warren. People should watch last night’s show if they have a chance.
Peter Buttigieg with Bill Maher discussing J.D. Vance.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMzpAcdxBP0
It matters more when the candidate is older or infirm, but we never actually know the truth of what could happen. Kennedy was shot, leading to Johnson taking over, and there are many who feel his blunt pragmatism is part of what got the Civil Rights Act through. On the other hand, then he got us involved in Vietnam. We’ll never know how things would have gone under Kennedy had he lived.
This being said, a bad VP can actually impact a campaign. While Obama might have won anyway, McCain definitely took a hit because of Palin, and then we were all stuck with her dimwittery for the next few years until other, more maliciously stupid people replaced her.
@LRB–You’re correct. Trump did not attend inauguration. Did not invite Bidens to White House the morning of inauguration, as also is customary. He may have been too busy packing up top-secret documents to steal as he left.
Needed a good laugh today! Someone asked how Kentucky went from Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul to Andy Beshear??😂😂😂
I’m in NC, and I really hope it’s not Cooper because Robinson is legitimately insane
Robinson is legitimately problematic but Cooper is done. He could help the Dem candidate more but honestly I don’t see that happening. Cooper caught a lot of heat from Republicans in the state. He isn’t going to turn any of those votes and Dems are pretty much going for our guy because Robinson has been a straight menace to is for years. Cooper is done with nC politics right now and I don’t personally see him thinking of Senate. VP would be a good fit.
I would LOVE to see Roy wipe that smug look off Thom with an H’s face. If he isn’t chosen, I hope he runs for Senate in ’26.
No. You can’t have Andy.
Sincerely, the State of Kentucky
😂😂😂
You can’t take JB away from Illinois just yet. Not in 2024 anyway.
He gets under Trump’s skin because JB is a rich for real heir to a hotel fortune (Hyatt) – not fake rich like Trump.
He also told Trump to kick rocks during the early days of the pandemic when Trump was trying to hoard all of the protective products for medical personnel and didn’t want to send any to the blue states. JB organized his own procurement for Illinois.
Also Trump has called him fat before (like he should talk), but JB just ignores his grade school bully style crap.
The VP candidate is going to have to be the whitest white straight Protestant guy that we can find.
They should go with Kelly. Governors like Shapiro, Cooper, and Beshear make great surrogates – and they should be out soft campaigning for her. JB is a no-go, true or not the perception of Chicago is that it’s a crime infested hellhole thanks to the Dems. Not a good choice.
Andy Beshear ftw. He’d have to go toe-to-toe with Vance and could hold his own very well. It’s Ohio vs Kentucky! The states would eat that up
If I had to pick a VP it would be Beshear(although I really like Kelly). He’s also young, vocal about his Christian values and can really advocate for Southern and Midwestern state votes.
One thing that Kamala also brings back to the table which I think can help her get some of the undecided voters (esp coming from northern California) is she’s more “Silicon Valley” tech friendly. That’s helped bring back the shift to the Democratic party(for now- as some techies who were more left started to go right).
That would also sway some of the undecided pro-business voters who doesn’t like Trump but also are still questionable about Harris.
Josh Shapiro is my Governor, and he is amazing. Pennsylvania is a tough state, as we have a lot of tRumpers in our legislature…very vocal tRumpers! In spite of them, Shapiro has managed to get a lot accomplished here, and he has been successful at reaching across the aisle many times. I think the majority of people respect him. He is also tough and very smart. He was an excellent AG before he became Governor. He would make a great VP. That said, I would like to see him continue as Governor here! We need him!
Just came here to say, thankful for Roy Cooper for stopping SOME of the madness in NC with his veto power. He has helped keep NC from completely going off the rails into a big *hit pile as best he could. We MUST elect a DEM governor in November!!!! Otherwise, we are toast!
I don’t know most of these ppl but I do think it should be a gov.