Biden’s running mate list narrows: Warren, Harris, Susan Rice, others

WASHINGTON — Joe Biden’s search for a running mate is entering a second round of vetting for a dwindling list of potential vice presidential nominees, with several black women in strong contention.

Democrats with knowledge of the process said Mr. Biden’s search committee has narrowed the choices to as few as six serious contenders after initial interviews. Among the group still in contention: Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Kamala Harris of California, as well as Susan Rice, who served as President Barack Obama’s national security adviser.

Those with knowledge declined to name other contenders and said the process remains somewhat fluid. Additional candidates may still be asked to submit to the extensive document review process now underway for some top contenders. Those familiar with Mr. Biden’s search spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the process.

The campaign dismissed the idea of a shortened list as early speculation. “Those who talk don’t know and those who know don’t talk,” said Andrew Bates, a Biden spokesman.

Mr. Biden, who has already said he will pick a woman as his running mate, is facing increased calls from Democrats to put a woman of color on the ticket — both because of the outsize role that black voters played in Mr. Biden’s road to the nomination and because of the reckoning over racism and inequality roiling the nation following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

Terry McAuliffe, the former Virginia governor and former Democratic National Committee chairman, said it would be “exciting for the party” to have a black woman on a major party presidential ticket for the first time.

The campaign’s list includes several black women, including Ms. Harris and Ms. Rice. Advisers have also looked closely at Florida Rep. Val Demings and Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, both of whom are black, and New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, a Latina.

One contender whose standing does appear to have fallen is Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who was a prosecutor years ago in the county that includes Minneapolis. During that period, more than two dozen people — mostly minorities — died during encounters with police.

While the people with knowledge of Mr. Biden’s vetting process did not rule Ms. Klobuchar out, she is widely viewed among Democrats with close ties to the campaign as less likely to be tapped given recent events.