Dateline Washington — Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine this afternoon has emerged as the clear favorite a day before Hillary Clinton is expected to announce her running mate.
Clinton confidants and allies believe Mr. Kaine is the leading contender. Some top allies have recommended that Mrs. Clinton pick the Virginia Democrat.
“I would bet all my chips on Kaine,” one confidant of Mrs. Clinton said this morning.
Mr. Kaine long has been seen as a favorite to be Mrs. Clinton’s running mate, though a number of other names have made the cut.
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack is another top contender, and Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown, New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker and Labor Secretary Tom Perez have all been seen as finalists.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) has met with Mrs. Clinton and been in the mix, but it appears the always cautious Mrs. Clinton is even more likely to pick a more centrist candidate given Republican Donald Trump’s decision to make Indiana Gov. Mike Pence his vice presidential candidate.
One longtime Clinton friend said the Pence pick frees up Mrs. Clinton “to go with someone who can be President immediately and with whom she has a strong relationship with no requirements to satisfy new demographic or diversity consideration.”
Mrs. Clinton said earlier this week in an interview with Charlie Rose that she was “afflicted with the responsibility gene” and wanted someone who would be experienced above all.
The New York Times also reported on Wednesday that Bill Clinton has signaled that he would like to see Mr. Kaine, the 58-year-old governor turned senator, on the ticket.
On Wednesday at the White House briefing, press secretary Josh Earnest, volunteered Mr. Kaine as a candidate whom President Obama would recommend.
The selection process hasn’t been easy for Mrs. Clinton. Those around her say she’s been intrigued by the excitement she’s been seeing from crowds as she appeared with Mr. Obama and Ms. Warren and has considered selecting someone to generate that same buzz.
This story originally appeared at www.thehill.com