As the presidential election approaches, Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee, is on the lookout for a running mate who can help him seize the 2020 Presidential election. During the 11th and final Democratic debate, Joe Biden stated, “I commit that I will… pick a woman to be Vice President.” This statement effectively cut the list of potential VP picks in half. It is believed that Biden’s VP pick is especially important for this election given that the VP will assume the role of President in the event that Biden can no longer fulfill his duties. In fact, Biden is cognizant of this factor, and according to The Independent, Biden stated, “But for me, it has to be demonstrated by whoever I pick is two things… One, is capable of [being] president because I’m an old guy.” Biden went on to say, “I released all my medical records… But you never know. You never know what’s going on.” Biden’s statement suggests that people will inform their voting decision based on the VP pick because that VP may replace Biden as President in the coming years. Political strategists have floated several names including Amy Klobuchar and Stacy Abrams for the VP pick.

Amy Klobuchar has significant name recognition as she serves as a Minnesota Senator and campaigned for the Democratic nomination for the 2020 election. Additionally, Klobuchar is appealing because she is from Minnesota, a state Clinton won by a narrow 1.5% margin. Picking Klobuchar would virtually guarantee to securesecuring Minnesota, but more importantly, Klobuchar provides a voice for the Midwest. As someone from the Midwest, Klobuchar can appeal to her geographical region, which is important for the upcoming election as it includes swing states like Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Iowa. These 5 states add up to a total of 70 electoral votes, which could easily result in Biden’s victory. However, recently, Klobuchar has come under fire due to her involvement in the death of George Floyd. Klobuchar allegedly failed to prosecute Derek Chauvin, the police officer who killed Floyd. This situation has severely decreased Klobuchar’s chances for the VP pick.

Stacy Abrams is another potential choice. Abrams is the first black woman to win a gubernatorial nomination for a major party. Although she narrowly lost the 2018 Georgia Governor race by a margin of 50,000 votes, her performance was still considered successful. As a black progressive woman, Abrams can help Biden’s campaign appeal to black voters and progressives, two significant voting demographics. Abram’s progressive voice may encourage Bernie supporters to vote for Biden. Biden has been shifting his ideology to the center of the aisle to appeal to centrists, but this is leaving progressives in the dark. Abrams may be the solution to broaden Biden’s ideological appeal. On the other hand, Abrams is from Georgia, which is unlikely to swing left, and she will likely fail to turn Georgia’s surrounding states blue.