What goes into picking a vice president

While a vice presidential pick rarely has a big effect on a presidential candidate, the process of picking one is intense, highly selective, and well-documented.

From creating an initial list to vetting candidates for the national stage, many moving factors go into picking a right-hand man or woman.

For Vice President Kamala Harris, the de facto Democratic presidential nominee after President Joe Biden announced he would not be seeking reelection, the list of possible running mate candidates includes Govs. Josh Shapiro (D-PA), Roy Cooper (D-NC), Andy Beshear (D-KY), and Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ). 

Former President Donald Trump’s selection process was compared to his reality show, The Apprentice. Those in the running were often considered to be “auditioning” for the job when outstumping for him or defending him in the media. In the weeks before he announced his pick, the names being floated as his possible running mate included Gov. Doug Burgum (R-ND) and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL). He ultimately landed on Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH).