Futurity

Does a VP pick alter the race? Probably not

The top of a presidential ticket matters more than the vice presidential nominee, an expert says. She digs into the evolving history of the VP pick.
Joe Biden and Kamala Harris wear black face masks as they stand in front of the American flag

The top of a presidential ticket matters more than their choice of running mate, Barbara Norrander says.

Joe Biden on Tuesday announced Kamala Harris as his running mate for the 2020 presidential election. But what impact does a vice presidential selection really have on a race? And how has the selection process changed through history?

Presidential nominees have only gotten to choose their running mates since the mid-20th century, says Norrander, a professor in the School of Government and Public Policy in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Arizona.

Here, Norrander digs into why presidential nominees haven’t always had their pick of vice president, the implications that come with selecting a running mate, and what will be different about the presidential race between now and November 3rd with Harris, a US senator from California, now on the Democratic ticket:

The post Does a VP pick alter the race? Probably not appeared first on Futurity.

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