Two Midwest names top list of potential Harris vice presidential picks

Now that President Joe Biden has dropped out of the 2024 Presidential race and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for the Democratic nomination, conversations are swirling about who she might pick as a running mate.

Two prominent Midwest names are on a short list of nominees.

So far, Harris has not said anything publicly about who she's considering, though Democrats have floated at least 12 names as potential contenders, including Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker as well as Secretary of Transportation and former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg.

"Presidential candidates think about a lot of different things when they consider their VP pick," said Northwestern Law professor Michael Kang.

"Geography, the electoral map, where they could use some help in terms of the electoral college. But also, demographics. Balancing out the demographic profile of the ticket, and experience. She’ll be looking in a very, very tight race to eek out any electoral advantage she can," he said.

That's why some political experts believe Pritzker and Buttigieg are unlikely nominees.

Neither responded to NBC 5's request for comment on if they would accept a Vice Presidential nomination.

"Whether or not Pritzker can draw votes in places like Michigan or Wisconsin seems an untested proposition," said Michael Allen, an associate professor of history at Northwestern University.

"[Pritzker] has a lot of name recognition. He’s familiar with Midwestern politics. He has deep pockets. All of those would be strengths. That said, Illinois is very much a safe bet for the Harris campaign."

Both Kang and Allen agree Buttigieg, one of Biden’s most visible and capable surrogates, is a good campaigner and spokesperson but question his political experience.

Also on the list of potential nominees are governors from several key, swing states, including Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro.

All have endorsed Harris and bring political crossover appeal to the ticket.

Balancing the ticket from a regional or geographical perspective is a factor often considered by candidates.

"The idea there is it will help Harris in the electoral college. That maybe one of these swing states will tilt to her advantage, and that could be critical in the presidential race," said Kang.

Though he says history shows "it's very unpredictable" who a presidential candidate will pick.

"Rarely do experts get it right," said Kang.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom's name has also been floated. He has a national profile and has served as a Biden proxy in the past.

However, a Harris-Newsom ticket would be a challenge, according to legal experts, because of the Constitution. The 12th Amendment mandates the president and vice president hail from different states.

It reads in part, "the electors shall meet in their respective states, and vote by ballot for two persons, of whom one at least shall not be an inhabitant of the same state with themselves."

This clause has generally been interpreted to mean that if the presidential and vice presidential candidate come from the same state, the electors from that state cannot vote for both.

California has the most electoral votes of any state.

"In the past, for instance, Bush-Cheney ticket, Cheney changed his residency so he wouldn't be a resident of Texas, the same state as George W. Bush. But, I think that's a little trickier for Newsom to be pull off here because he's the sitting Governor of California," said Kang.

Although the VP pick is a topic of conversation currently, Kang says for the most part, voters are most concerned with the top of the ticket.

"The VP pick can help a little bit, but the political science suggests it doesn’t really make a big deal," said Kang.

"Where we remember the VP choice being consequential is Kennedy-Johnson, where it seemed to help Kennedy add credibility because he was a younger candidate for president. LBJ was obviously really well known, had a national profile, really experienced and assuaged some concerns about his inexperience."

While geography, ideology and demographics will be considered by the nominee, Kang says in the end, it's the top of the ticket that matters most to voters.

"It's Kamala Harris and her ability to sell her profile to the American public."