Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer may be among the finalists for Joe Biden’s vice presidential post, with a report claiming that she flew to Delaware to meet with the presumptive Democratic candidate in the last week. As The Associated Press reported, Whitmer flew to meet in person with the former vice president, who is reportedly nearing the conclusion of his search for a running mate to face Donald Trump in November. Biden has already said that he plans to pick a woman, but there are a number of high-ranking officials who are regarded as potential picks.
“Whitmer visited Biden Sunday, according to two high-ranking Michigan Democrats who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly,” the report noted. “The first-term governor of the battleground state has long been on his short list of possible running mates.”
The report cited flight records that showed a chartered plane leaving the airport in Lansing and arriving in Delaware, then returning close to six hours later. Whitmer’s office did not confirm or deny the trip, saying that they do not release information about her personal schedule.
Whitmer has already played the role of surrogate, appearing alongside the presumptive candidate at a rally that took place before the coronavirus outbreak forced him to end all in-person events. She has also appeared on cable news programs speaking in support of Biden and criticizing the sitting president.
Though Whitmer is in her first term as governor, she is seen as a strong pick. She has garnered national attention for her leadership during the coronavirus crisis and her efforts to address racial inequality. During that time she has also sparred with Trump, who has, at times, hurled very personal criticisms in reply to her critiques of the national pandemic response.
Whitmer has strong competition for the role. Other names that have been mentioned for the No. 2 spot on the ticket include California Senator Kamala Harris and California Congresswoman Karen Bass, as well as U.S. ambassador Susan Rice.
It is not clear if Whitmer could hold any significant geographic advantage. Running mates have often been selected for their ability to deliver a home state, and Michigan is set to be a key battleground in 2020. After Trump narrowly won the state in 2016, Democrats have put a strong focus on winning it back. As The Inquisitr reported, Biden has polled well there in recent weeks, opening up a double-digit lead in a number of recent polls.
