Former Democratic presidential candidate endorses Whitmer for VP

Former New York Mayor Bill de Blasio endorsed Gov. Gretchen Whitmer for vice president on Sunday night, calling a slate that included Vice President Kamala Harris and the Michigan governor “the winning hand” for Democrats after President Joe Biden ended his re-election campaign on Sunday afternoon.

“Joe Biden’s heroic, selfless decision has given us the opportunity to nominate two leaders who will wipe the smirk off Donald Trump’s face and allow us to come roaring back,” de Blasio said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.

The best way to defeat Trump? Collaborate @VP Kamala Harris and @GovWhitmer!
The heroic, selfless decision of @JoeBiden has given us the chance to nominate two leaders who will wipe the smirk off Donald Trump’s face and allow us to come roaring back. A Harris-Whitmer ticket is the…
— Bill de Blasio (@BilldeBlasio) July 22, 2024

De Blasio ran for president in 2020 and participated in the 2019 presidential debates in Detroit.

Biden endorsed Harris as the Democratic presidential nominee shortly after ending his own campaign. Harris has now begun taking over his current campaign apparatus.

Several Michigan officials quickly endorsed Harris on Sunday, including U.S. Sens. Debbie Stabenow (D-Lansing) and Gary Peters (D-Bloomfield Twp.), U.S. Reps. Hillary Scholten (D-Grand Rapids), Debbie Dingell (D-Ann Arbor), Dan Kildee (D-Flint), Shri Thanedar (D-Detroit) and Elissa Slotkin (D-Holly), Attorney General Dana Nessel, and former governors Jim Blanchard and Jennifer Granholm.

Granholm is also Biden’s Energy Secretary. Another member of Biden’s Cabinet, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who lives in Traverse City, also quickly endorsed Harris.

Buttigieg is among the names floated as a possible replacement for Biden or running mate for Harris, along with California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who also endorsed Harris on Sunday, and Whitmer.

Whitmer did not endorse anyone on Sunday, but said her “job in this election remains the same: to do everything I can to get Democrats elected and stop Donald Trump, a convicted felon whose agenda of raising family costs, banning abortion nationwide and abusing the power of the White House to settle his own scores is completely wrong for Michigan.”

Other officials mentioned as possible running mates for Harris include Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper and Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly.

We need a Harris-Whitmer ticket now!
Just think of the excitement and energy that would bring! @KamalaHarris And @GovWhitmer: That’s a team we can win with. https://t.co/Pz2Kc7CqzV
— Bill de Blasio (@BilldeBlasio) July 22, 2024

While some have indicated they believe Harris will select a male running mate to balance the ticket, de Blasio urged delegates to think about the excitement and energy a Harris-Whitmer ticket would bring.

“We need a Harris-Whitmer ticket now!” de Blasio said.

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