Many Republicans were hoping that former President Donald Trump would face President Biden in November because there were obvious signs, such as polling in swing states and big donors fleeing from the Democrat party, that Trump would become the 47th President of the United States if Biden became the party's nominee.

That changed Sunday when Biden announced on X that he would end his reelection bid but finish his term as president. He added that he endorses Harris as the Democrat nominee. Several other prominent Democrats have advocated for Kamala to be the nominee, and assuming she will be, here are some of the top options to become her VP. 

I believe Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ) is the top option for a couple of reasons. The obvious reason is that he represents a swing state in Arizona, and is part of the moderate wing of the party. He is also a former NASA astronaut and combat veteran. Most people knew Kelly prior to him becoming a politician because of his astronautic career, which could pique the interest of those who are not "political junkies" but pay attention to that universe:

I couldn’t be more confident that Vice President @KamalaHarris is the right person to defeat Donald Trump and lead our country into the future. She has my support for the nomination, and Gabby and I will do everything we can to elect her President of the United States. 🇺🇸

— Captain Mark Kelly (@CaptMarkKelly) July 21, 2024

The second option is Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro. Similar to why some folks thought Glenn Youngkin would be a good option for Trump's VP because of his popularity in Virginia, Shapiro received almost 57 percent of the vote during the gubernatorial race in 2022, with over three million people voting for him. He comes across as a moderate who resonates with people, unlike many career politicians, when he is on podcasts or when he is being interviewed by the mainstream media. 

Josh Shapiro is probably the most effective Democratic politician in the country and one reason why is because he seems like a genuinely normal person. pic.twitter.com/vrHaY068Va

— James Lynch (@jameslynch32) July 20, 2024

The third option is Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear. I look at Beshear's political appeal the same way I did JD Vance's, because Beshear can go to the Rust Belt states of Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, speak to voters, and make the case for the Democrat ticket. He has appeal in a red state such as Kentucky, where he won the gubernatorial race twice, and is terming out. Beshear checks the electoral boxes: 

.@Sen_JoeManchin calls for an “open process” for Democrats to choose a new nominee in an interview with @jaketapper: "I have got two tremendous governors right next door to me, in Andy Beshear in Kentucky and Josh Shapiro in Pennsylvania." pic.twitter.com/v5JNYK3vgg

— State of the Union (@CNNSOTU) July 21, 2024

Lastly, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper, who is also terming out, could be another top option for Harris. He has a similar appeal as Beshear and won over 51 percent of the vote in North Carolina in 2020, as Biden won just 47 percent and lost the state: 

If @KamalaHarris is the nominee, watch for NC Governor Roy Cooper to be the nominee for VP. He is a safe pick who puts his state in play again as he got more votes than President Trump in 2020 in NC. Despite a great convention, Republicans should take nothing for granted. pic.twitter.com/EloX7JKA2G

— Scott Walker (@ScottWalker) July 21, 2024

Cooper, though, is quite liberal and hasn't faced the glare of a national spotlight.

Those are the top options that would pose the greatest threat to the Trump-Vance ticket, and they each bring their own unique experience; however, it's far from a given that Harris picks any of these options as VP, and we hope she bypasses these options because it will make it easier for Trump-Vance to win in November: 

Joe Biden has been the worst President in my lifetime and Kamala Harris has been right there with him every step of the way. Over the last four years she co-signed Biden's open border and green scam policies that drove up the cost of housing and groceries. She owns all of these…

— JD Vance (@JDVance1) July 21, 2024

The post continues:

She owns all of these failures, and she lied for nearly four years about Biden's mental capacity--saddling the nation with a president who can't do the job.

President Trump and I are ready to save America, whoever's at the top of the Democrat ticket. Bring it on.

No matter who Harris decides to choose as her VP, Trump and Vance will be ready for a battle in November. At the end of the day, the overwhelming majority of these Democrat politicians believe in the same policies, and if Harris doesn't take any of the options listed above, it will be easier for the GOP to highlight that fact. 

The Trump-Vance ticket has momentum; While Vance will likely spend most of his time in the Rust Belt states, and campaigning with Ohio Senate candidate Bernie Moreno, his next stop is in Virginia on Monday: 

🚨🚨🚨Republican Vice Presidential nominee @JDVance1 will be hosting a rally MONDAY July 22 in Radford, Virginia!

Virginia is IN PLAY in 2024 - come out and show your support!

Register here for tickets.👇https://t.co/GjnlbbwlFP

— Virginia GOP (@VA_GOP) July 19, 2024