The Democratic VP Will Probably Be a Woman: These Are the Leading Contenders
When Senator Kamala Harris dropped out of the Democratic presidential primary race in December, voters lost the hope of seeing a black woman—the second-ever to serve in the Senate, no less—win the White House in 2020. Then Senator Amy Klobuchar ended her campaign the day before Super Tuesday and Senator Elizabeth Warren, who inspired many with her detailed plans and progressive vision for America, dropped out days afterward, leaving Representative Tulsi Gabbard as the last remaining woman in the race. With only two delegates and abysmal polling numbers, she doesn't have a practical path to the nomination.
In a primary with a record-breaking number of women candidates, we're left with two men— Senator Bernie Sanders or former Vice President Joe Biden—as the likely final Democratic nominee. The ultimate glass ceiling will remain unbroken for at least another four years.
But though some political commentators have argued that American isn't ready for a woman president (or didn't think one could win) and that sexism played a big role in the primaries, a woman in the White House isn't completely off the table. It's looking more and more likely that Biden and Sanders will choose women running mates as their VP nominees.
Considering the fact that both leading candidates are in their late 70s—Biden is 77 and Sanders is 78, and either would break the record for oldest president at time of inauguration (beating Trump, who was 70, and Reagan, who was 69), it's clear that the choice of VP has never been more important.
Who has the best chance of being chosen and becoming the first-ever female VP (and third-ever nominated)? Here's what the latest political analysis and public campaigning would suggest.
First, overall…
There's a good chance a black woman is chosen. Reverend Jesse Jackson endorsed Sanders on Sunday before calling for the VP nomination to go to a black woman. With Harris endorsing Biden, speculation has grown that she's a top option for his VP slot. Nikema Williams, the Democratic Party chairwoman in Georgia, told the New York Times that "a black woman on the ticket is the margin of victory." Considering that black women are the most loyal base of Democratic voters, with 94% of them voting for Clinton in 2016, rewarding them for that loyalty with representation seems like a good choice.
The choice for either candidate is between an ideological match or a gap-bridger—and it looks like both are leaning towards choosing one of their own. Speculation abounds as to whether Biden will choose moderate friend Klobuchar or a coalition-building lefter-leaning candidate, like Stacey Abrams. Sanders seems to be leaning more towards a fellow progressive, though many big names on that side of the party are unavailable for the VP slot because they're too young or they're foreign-born. Biden said this week that the most important thing for his selection would be picking someone who was "simpatico" with his vision for the country, and Sanders has said he will "look to women first" but would need them to "hold my political views," especially regarding Medicare for All.
Now, specifically…
Several women have been specifically name-dropped by either or both campaigns; others have been mentioned by strategists and aides. Any of the below women could be the first female Vice President of the United States.
Could be Biden's VP nominee:
Amy Klobuchar. Ever since the Minnesota Senator accidentally told Biden supporters in Michigan that she's honored to join his 2020 "ticket," speculation has abounded that she's already been selected as Biden's running mate.
Gretchen Whitmer. Michigan's governor, who won a tough race last year as a moderate Democrat, was just named as a national co-chair of Biden's campaign. Some say that means he's planning to tap her for the nomination.
Sally Yates. The former deputy attorney general was fired early in Trump's term for refusing to defend his executive order barring travel to the U.S. from several Muslim-majority countries. Since then, she's testified in the impeachment inquiry and been talked about as a potential VP nom.
Kamala Harris. While Harris went hard after Biden while they were both on the campaign trail—prompting Dr. Jill Biden to call her attacks "a punch to the gut" last week at a private fundraiser—some say her legislative experience and diverse background mean that she's a top contender for Biden's VP.
Val Demings. The Florida representative and former Orlando police chief endorsed Biden last week, and as a black woman in a battleground state, her support may be extra meaningful to the Biden campaign.
Jeanne Shaheen or Maggie Hassan. They wouldn't be a package deal, but Biden did mention "the two senators from the state of New Hampshire" last November when giving some ideas for his potential VP pick.
Could be Sanders' VP nominee:
Nina Turner. Former Ohio state Senator and a woman of color, Turner is currently serving as a national co-chair of Sanders' campaign. Supporters of the campaign have called on her to be his VP nom, citing her Midwestern connections as an extra bonus.
Could be either leading candidate's VP nominee:
Stacey Abrams. The former George House minority leader made a splash when she just-barely lost her race for governor last year. She's since pivoted her energy into fighting voter suppression. And she had a hell of an interview with polling website 538 where she said she planned to be president by 2040. If you manifest it, it will come, right? And she's one of the few major VP names who have yet to endorse a candidate. She could go either way.
Elizabeth Warren. While Biden selecting Warren wouldn't help balance out the age of his ticket—she's 70 (though her selfie-line energy belies that)—she would help bridge the ideology of his ticket, perhaps bringing in more progressive and younger voters. For Sanders, she'd be the nominee with the closest policy positions to his and a whole bunch of practical plans to start executing them. His campaign advisors have already publicly stated they'd love to have her on the ticket.
Whoever the Democratic presidential nominee is, I hope to see a woman on the ticket next to him. I'd like to see a woman president in my lifetime, and a woman VP seems like a good place to start.
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8 (Virtual) Diversity Conferences to Attend in 2021
Diversity Reboot 2021: The One Hundred Day Kickoff
<p><strong>When</strong>: February 1-5, 2021</p><p><strong>Where</strong>: Virtual</p><p><strong>Price to register:</strong> Free!</p><p><strong>Where to register: </strong><a href="https://summit.powertofly.com/" target="_blank">Here</a></p><p>We had to include our own Diversity Reboot on our list of the best diversity and inclusion events to attend in 2021 because we know firsthand how the quality of 100+ expert speakers, the enthusiasm of 10,000 participants, and the cutting-edge tech that enables meaningful virtual networking and job fairs combine to create a truly epic five-day experience. This year, the theme 100 Day Kickoff harnesses the energy of the new government's first 100 days in office to help jump-start personal and professional plans to build more diverse and inclusive workplaces. </p><p>Following the February summit, we'll have a monthly series of smaller virtual summits on topics spanning everything from returnships to LGBTQ+ advocacy, so be sure to stay tuned for updates!<br></p>The Future of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion 2021
<p><strong>When</strong>: February 3-4, 2021</p><p><strong>Where</strong>: Virtual</p><p><strong>Price to register:</strong> Free</p><p><strong>Where to register:</strong> <a href="https://www.hr.com/en/webcasts_events/virtual_events/upcoming_virtual_events/the-future-of-diversity-equity-and-inclusion-2021_kcxf8glq.html#detail" target="_blank">Here</a></p><p>This virtual conference put on by HR.com focuses on how social movements like #MeToo and Black Lives Matter have pushed DEI at work beyond legal compliance and into a major factor of any company or brand's culture, employee engagement, and performance. Topics include how to uncover and resolve pay gaps across your team and hire top-level diverse talent.</p>Workplace Revolution: From Talk to Collective Action
<p><strong>When</strong>: March 8-12, 2021</p><p><strong>Where</strong>: Virtual</p><p><strong>Price to register: </strong>$820</p><p><strong>Where to register:</strong> <a href="https://cvent.me/ZQ4BbE" target="_blank">Here</a></p><p>The Forum on Workplace Inclusion's 33rd annual conference includes 12 session tracks, from DEI Strategy to Social Responsibility, along with 59 workshops and daily networking sessions. This year's theme focuses on one question: "What will it take to start a workplace revolution that moves us from talk to action?"</p>Diversity: How Employers Can Match Words With Deeds
<p><strong>When</strong><strong>: </strong>May 19, 2021</p><p><strong>Where:</strong> Virtual</p><p><strong>Price to register</strong><strong>: </strong>Early bird registration is $49 and general admission is $149</p><p><strong>Where to register:</strong> <a href="https://hopin.com/events/may-virtual-conference-diversity-how-employers-can-match-words-with-deeds" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Here</a></p><p>From Day One is hosting monthly conferences in 2021 focused on different ways for companies to foster strong relationships with their customers, communities, and employees. May's half-day virtual event is focused specifically on how companies can make diversity promises that don't fall flat and features workshops, panels, and a fireside chat.</p>Hire with Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
<p><strong>When:</strong> August 18, 2021</p><p><strong>Where: </strong>Virtual</p><p><strong>Price to register: </strong>$195</p><p><strong>Where to register:</strong> <a href="https://www.hci.org/conferences/2021-virtual-conference-hire-diversity-equity-and-inclusion-august-18-2021" target="_blank">Here</a></p><p>This conference put on by the Human Capital Institute is one of 12 virtual conferences that HCI has planned for 2021. This one focuses on fair and inclusive talent acquisition, including how to attract diverse talent, implement inclusive hiring practices, and addressing bias in employee selection. Other conferences will focus on optimizing talent strategy, engaging employees, and developing your workforce.</p>Virtual Grace Hopper Celebration 2021
<p><strong>When:</strong> September 26-29, 2021</p><p><strong>Where:</strong> Virtual, broadcast from Chicago, Illinois</p><p><strong>Price to register:</strong> Was $799 for regular access to the virtual conference in 2020; 2021 pricing hasn't yet been announced</p><p><strong>Where to register:</strong> <a href="https://ghc.anitab.org/attend/registration/" target="_blank">Here</a>, though 2021 registration wasn't live at the time of writing</p><p>Grace Hopper might be the best-known conference for women in tech. Through keynote presentations, networking sessions, job fairs, and community-building activities, vGHC reached over 30,000 women for their 2020 conference and are expecting even more in 2021! While not a conference focused exclusively on diversity and inclusion, many speakers plan to focus their talks on creating environments for women to thrive in the male-dominated tech field.</p>Inclusion 2021
<p><strong>When:</strong> October 25-27, 2021</p><p><strong>Where:</strong> Virtual and in person in Austin, Texas as of now</p><p><strong>Price to register:</strong> Hasn't yet been announced</p><p><strong>Where to register: </strong><a href="https://conferences.shrm.org/inclusion" target="_blank">Here</a>, though 2021 registration wasn't live at the time of writing</p><p>The Society for Human Resource Management's biggest conference of the year saw 1,200 DEI leaders participate last year; SHRM hopes to see even more come to learn, be inspired, and to walk away with a playbook of implementable strategies to create truly inclusive workplace cultures.</p>AfroTech 2021
<p><strong></strong><strong>When:</strong> November 8-13, 2021</p><p><strong>Where:</strong> Virtual</p><p><strong>Price to register:</strong> Early bird pricing is $149 for individuals and $249 for corporate attendees; regular pricing hasn't yet been announced</p><p><strong>Where to register:</strong> <a href="https://experience.afrotech.com/" target="_blank">Here</a></p><p>AfroTech is a conference hosted by Blavity, a tech media platform for Black millennials. It focuses on emerging tech trends, connecting Black talent with top tech recruiters, and providing networking and educational opportunities, with an overall goal of building a strong Black tech community. Over 10,000 people participated in 2020. While the conference isn't focused specifically on DEI, its main audience of Black tech talent is an important one to understand and to engage at work and beyond, and several speakers plan to focus on issues of race and inclusion at work. </p>Finding Her Sport: Being Part of the Team in a Startup Environment
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