Washington: Kamala Harris is on the verge of picking her vice presidential running mate – a position that has taken on greater significance following the assassination attempt on Donald Trump.

Harris, the likely Democratic nominee, is set to announce her pick as early as Monday (Washington time). Her camp is reportedly vetting about a dozen potential running mates, and Harris herself is holding personal conversations with the finalists.

Kamala Harris and the Democrats who are lining up to be her potential vice president.Credit: Marija Ercegovac

Her campaign said that she and her running mate will begin travelling to battleground states next week, including Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; western Wisconsin; Detroit, Michigan; Raleigh, North Carolina; Savannah, Georgia; Phoenix, Arizona; and Las Vegas, Nevada.

If elected, Harris, who hails from the left-leaning state of California, could be the first woman to serve as president, the first president of South Asian descent and the second black president in US history. Will she, therefore, pick someone who can balance her candidacy, both demographically and politically? What are the chances of an all-female ticket? And are there any complicating factors?

Here’s a breakdown of the Democratic veepstakes:

The path to the White House runs through Pennsylvania, and Shapiro’s inclusion on the Harris ticket could help the Democrats lock in much-needed support in this critical swing state. The first-term governor and former attorney-general is very popular on his home turf and gained some national prominence last year when a freeway bridge collapsed in Philadelphia, and he oversaw the speedy recovery effort.

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro is considered a rising star in Democrat ranks.Credit: AP

But while the 51-year-old is an effective communicator, there are some concerns within the party that his Jewish heritage and pro-Israel stance could be off-putting to the Democrats who criticised Joe Biden on the same issue. This includes the many younger and non-white voters that Harris is relying on to show up in force come November 5.

As a former astronaut, a former navy captain and a leader in gun reform, Kelly could make a solid choice as a VP running mate. The Arizona senator is one of the most liked men within the Democratic Party, representing a purple state that swung from Republican to Democrat in 2020.

Folks might recall Trump’s rage after Fox News called Arizona for Biden during the vote count on election night, and the state has been a hotbed for election deniers ever since.

Mark Kelly of Arizona is thought to be a frontrunner.Credit: AP

Kelly is known as a centrist pragmatist, which could help offset the Republican’s narrative of Harris as a “radical liberal” from San........

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