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2020 Democratic Party vice presidential candidate selection

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Adapted from the English Wikipedia article 2020 Democratic Party vice presidential candidate selection, available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 8 August 202511 sources

This entry outlines the contenders for the Democratic vice presidential nomination during the 2020 United States presidential election. Former Vice President Joe Biden from Delaware, who secured the party’s presidential nomination in 2020, evaluated several leading Democrats before naming Senator Kamala Harris from California as his vice presidential candidate on August 11, 2020. Harris officially received the vice presidential nomination on August 19, 2020, at the 2020 Democratic National Convention. The Biden–Harris duo ultimately triumphed over the Trump–Pence ticket in the general election.

In March 2020, Biden committed to selecting a female running mate, marking only the third occasion that a major party nominated a woman for vice president, following in the footsteps of Geraldine Ferraro in 1984 and Sarah Palin in 2008.

Harris was sworn in as vice president in January 2021 alongside President Biden. She made history as the first woman, as well as the first Asian American and Black American, to occupy this office, becoming the highest-ranking woman ever in U.S. government. After Biden decided not to seek re-election, Harris became the Democratic nominee for president in the 2024 United States presidential election, but was defeated by former President Donald Trump in the general vote.

Selection process

During the March 15, 2020, Democratic primary debate, former Vice President Joe Biden pledged to select a woman as his vice presidential candidate.[1] While Senator Bernie Sanders suggested he might follow a similar path, he did not make a formal commitment.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name Biden emerged as the presumptive nominee following Sanders’ withdrawal on April 8,Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name with the official ticket finalized at the 2020 Democratic National Convention later that August. Biden’s choice marked only the third female to be nominated for vice president by a major party, after Democrat Geraldine Ferraro (1984) and Republican Sarah Palin (2008).Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name

Biden highlighted that his selection criteria would focus on political alignment and experience, favoring someone likely younger and "prepared from Day One to assume the presidency."[2] On April 30, he announced his vetting team consisting of Lisa Blunt Rochester, Chris Dodd, Eric Garcetti, and Cynthia Hogan.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name

Announcement

Biden initially intended to reveal his running mate around August 1; however, this timeline was postponed to mid-August. On August 11, reports surfaced indicating that he had made his selection and that an official announcement was forthcoming.

That same day, Kamala Harris was announced as Biden’s vice presidential candidate. Harris had served as California’s junior U.S. senator since 2016 and brought extensive experience from her tenure as California Attorney General, San Francisco District Attorney, and prosecutor. She had participated in the 2020 Democratic primaries before ending her campaign in December 2019 and endorsing Biden in March 2020. Harris became not only the third woman but also the first Asian American to be nominated for vice president by a major party. Additionally, she was the first Democrat from the Western United States featured on a presidential ticket; although Barack Obama was born in Hawaii, his political career was tied to Illinois.

Finalists

On August 13, The New York Times revealed that the four candidates who reached the final stage were Kamala Harris, Susan Rice, Elizabeth Warren, and Gretchen Whitmer.

Shortlist

The vetting of potential vice presidential candidates by the Biden campaign commenced in May 2020. The following figures were subjected to this process.[3] Following the George Floyd protests, Amy Klobuchar encountered criticism for her failure to prosecute police misconduct as Hennepin County Attorney, including incidents connected to Floyd's death.[4] She withdrew her name from consideration on June 18, encouraging Biden to choose a woman of color.[5]

By June 12, the Associated Press reported that Keisha Lance Bottoms, Val Demings, Kamala Harris, Michelle Lujan Grisham, Susan Rice, and Elizabeth Warren had advanced in the vetting process. Later, on June 26, Bottoms, Demings, Harris, and Warren emerged as frontrunners.[6]

On July 29, The Hill identified Karen Bass, Harris, Rice, and Warren as the leading contenders.[7] By August 2, CNN confirmed that both Tammy Duckworth and Whitmer remained under consideration.[8] On August 10, The New York Times reported that vetting had concluded and an official announcement was expected shortly.[9]

In addition to the four finalists, other individuals who made the shortlist included:


Declined to be considered

The following people publicly stated they declined to undergo vetting by the Biden campaign.


Media speculation about other potential running mates

Several individuals were mentioned by various media outlets as possible vice presidential candidates but were not reported to have been vetted by the Biden team.


Opinion polling

A poll conducted by the Siena College in partnership with The New York Times on June 26, 2020, indicated that more than 80% of respondents believed race should not be a factor in Biden’s choice.[10]

According to a Politico/Morning Consult survey from July 15, 2020, 54% of participants said Biden’s vice presidential selection would not influence their vote, while 16% reported it would have a significant effect.[11]

Vice presidential polling
Poll source Date(s)
administered 		Sample
size[lower-alpha 1] 		Template:Vert header Template:Vert header Template:Vert header Template:Vert header Template:Vert header Template:Vert header Template:Vert header Template:Vert header Template:Vert header Template:Vert header Template:Vert header Template:Vert header Template:Vert header Template:Vert header Template:Vert header Template:Vert header
The Economist/YouGov August 2–4, 2020 600 (RV) 6% 1% 1% 3% – 3% 8% Template:Party shading/Democratic 22% – 0% – 11% 21% 3% 3%[lower-alpha 2] 19%
Yahoo News/YouGov July 28–30, 2020 1088 (RV) 8% 3% 3% 5% – 4% 6% ' Template:Party shading/Democratic25%'

2%

2%

14%

22%

5%

–

–

- ...


See also

References

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Related profiles

22016 Democratic Party vice presidential candidate selectionDDisappearance of Sneha Anne PhilipPPeril (book)
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