At least three Democrats have been named as potential running mates for Kamala Harris, should President Joe Biden drop out of the 2024 presidential election.
The 81-year-old commander-in-chief has insisted he is remaining in the race against Republican Donald Trump – and has hit back against critics from his own party who say he is not mentally equipped to handle a second term in office.
Vice President Harris, 59, has also said she stands by Biden as she travels the country trying to assuage donors and voters about the viability of his campaign.
Among the names being floated are Governors Roy Cooper of North Carolina, Andy Beshear of Kentucky and Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, two people close to the Biden-Harris campaign told the Times.
They suggested Cooper, 67, is currently the favorite for the role.
He is a Southern moderate who has worked alongside a Republican-led legislature since he took office in 2016, following a hard-fought race.
Democrats now think North Carolina could be flipped, and having Cooper on the ticket could help ensure a victory for the party.
Beshear, 46, does not offer that same opportunity. But he has attracted party attention after winning a second-term in the deep red state.