In the race to find a running mate for Kamala Harris, two Democratic state governors and an Arizona senator have emerged as early favorites. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper, and Senator Mark Kelly from Arizona have been asked to submit personal information as part of the vice-presidential vetting process.

These three individuals are among the 10 Democrats identified by a vetting team led by former attorney general Eric Holder. Holder's law firm, Covington & Burling LLP, is responsible for scrutinizing the personal finances, public statements, and family histories of the likely candidates.

Shapiro, Cooper, and Kelly have already endorsed Harris to replace Joe Biden as the presidential nominee in the upcoming November election. In an effort to expedite the vice-presidential selection, the vetting process, which usually takes months, will be accelerated to conclude before the start of the Democratic national convention on August 19 in Chicago.

Even before Biden's recent announcement to withdraw from seeking re-election as president, Democratic donors had already begun funding the vetting procedure, anticipating the need to scrutinize new candidates. With Harris increasingly certain to be anointed as the presidential nominee after securing the majority of Democratic delegates' pledges on Monday, attention has turned to her potential running mate.

While Shapiro, Cooper, and Kelly are the only three candidates publicly identified, speculation has also surrounded several others, including Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear and Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer. Beshear stated that he has not been asked to submit vetting information, while Whitmer indicated her focus on staying in Michigan—a swing state crucial to the Democrats' hopes of retaining the White House.

All three front-runners, Shapiro, Cooper, and Kelly, hail from states that are high on the Democratic electoral college wishlist. Shapiro, who assumed the governorship of Pennsylvania just last year, is seen as a rising star in the Democratic party, as Biden won the state during the 2020 election.

Cooper, the governor of a state that Trump carried in both 2016 and 2020, expressed his endorsement of Harris, highlighting her ability to address crucial issues such as reproductive rights, criminal prosecution, and Trump's age and fitness.

Kelly, a former astronaut and U.S. Navy captain, brings the advantage of representing a border state that has been at the forefront of national debates on illegal immigration. Additionally, his personal story is compelling, as he is the husband of former U.S. congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, who was seriously injured in a mass shooting in 2011—shining a light on the Democratic party's stance on gun control issues.

The process of selecting a vice-presidential candidate has gained momentum, with these prominent Democratic figures in the mix. In the coming weeks, the vetting process will intensify, leading up to the eagerly awaited announcement of Harris's running mate ahead of the Democratic national convention.