As national headlines hint at President Joe Biden potentially dropping out of the presidential race as early as this weekend, Americans are asking who might replace him.

With the Democratic National Convention less than a month away, Vice President Kamala Harris is the most likely substitute for the 2024 Democratic president nominee. The bigger question is who Harris would tap as her vice presidential pick. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear is among the most popular options.

A handful of names have emerged as potential Harris vice president picks.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly and Beshear have gotten the most attention.

While Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and California Gov. Gavin Newsom have been part of the conversation, they appear to have stepped away from the idea in recent days.

The top choices share some things in common: they’re white male governors who have proven an ability to win in states former President Donald Trump won in 2016. They’re generally considered as more moderate Democrats in a national context.

They can balance a ticket with Harris, a California liberal.

Shapiro, 51, leads Pennsylvania, which has a divided legislature. He won against Trump-backed Doug Mastriano in 2022 by a 15-point margin. Before being elected governor, he served as Pennsylvania’s attorney general and as a state legislator.

His track record includes fighting against the opioid epidemic, gun violence, child sexual abuse and inflation and supporting increases in the state’s minimum wage, commitment to renewable energy and law enforcement.

Cooper, 67, is a second-term North Carolina governor. He also served as attorney general and state legislator before winning election. In 2016, he narrowly won the governor’s race, but extended his lead to five points against his 2020 Republican opponent.

During his time in public service, Cooper has focused on increasing teacher pay and reducing class sizes, cutting taxes for middle class North Carolinians and revitalizing rural communities.

Kelly, 60, has represented Arizona in the U.S. Senate since 2020. He’s a retired astronaut, a Navy veteran and founder of Americans for Responsible Solutions, a nonprofit working to reduce gun violence.

Beshear, 46, won re-election in Kentucky in 2023 against Trump-endorsed, former Republican Attorney General Daniel Cameron, by five percentage points.

He’s previously been named the most popular Democratic governor in the nation, while overseeing a supermajority Republican legislature and largely Republican state.

Beshear, a son of former Gov. Steve Beshear, gained popularity for his wholesome persona and response to natural disasters. However, his critics say he doesn’t have much power and takes too much credit for the results of policies pushed by Republican lawmakers.

Tres Watson, former Kentucky Republican Party spokesperson, said Beshear has faced “questionable opponents and questionable campaigns” in his gubernatorial and attorney general elections against Cameron, former Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin and State Sen. Whitney Westerfield. He’s not sure he’s proven himself capable of winning a bigger election.

How does Beshear stack up against his VP competition?

While there hasn’t been extensive polling on a Harris-Beshear ticket versus a Harris-Shapiro or Harris-Cooper ticket, there are a few considerations the Democratic Party may be noting.

First, Shapiro, Cooper and Kelly all represent one of the perceived seven swing states in this election – Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Wisconsin and Nevada. Their place on the ticket could help Democrats win in their home states.

However, barring a miracle, Kentucky will go for Trump no matter who is on the Democratic ticket – even its own governor.

Second, each vice presidential pick would receive a fresh round of scrutiny if chosen.

Watson said Beshear has a few skeletons in his closet that haven’t been politically litigated to the level they would be on a national level, like issues with the unemployment system and his handling of COVID restrictions.

“I think the other candidates probably offer a lot more when it comes to politics than Beshear does,” he said. “And I think they have a list of potential surprises and potential weaknesses.”

Third, vice presidential candidates would have to be able to take on Trump and JD Vance.

Dr. Stephen Voss, University of Kentucky associate political science professor, previously said that Beshear’s tone might not work well for the current national Democratic Party.

“They’re not looking for a nice unifying sort of candidate,” Voss said. “They want somebody who’s going to go be mean because a widespread perception among Democratic activists is that their party is struggling because their sides just play by the rules too much.”

What happens if Beshear leaves Kentucky?

If Beshear became vice president, he would leave Kentucky with few high-profile Democrats to continue the state’s governance.

According to the Kentucky Constitution, the lieutenant governor takes over if the governor leaves office early.

Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman would be next in the line of succession, followed by Senate President Robert Stivers, then Attorney General Russell Coleman.

What has Beshear said?

Recently Beshear has deflected questions about whether he is jousting for vice president. However, he’s appeared on national programs to talk about Biden’s future and has left room for the possibility in public comments.

“I love this job. My kids are happy, my family’s happy. I feel like we’re on a roll here in Kentucky and this job is more than enough for me, that I could fulfill this next term which I fully intend to and be happy if this is the last public service role I ever had,” he told reporters last week.

“But I’ve said before, the only way that I’d step away from this role is if I felt like I could help the commonwealth even more through some other opportunity.”

– Follow regional reporter Sarah Michels on Twitter @sarah_michels13 or visit bgdailynews.com.