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Rumored VP Dark Horse Candidate Withdraws From Consideration

   DailyWire.com
WASHINGTON, D C , UNITED STATES - 2019/06/20: U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) speaks during the event in front of the Capitol to urge the passage of the H.R. 8 universal (gun ownership) background checks legislation. Event was held at the grass on the eastern side of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC.
Michael Brochstein / SOPA Images / LightRocket via Getty Images

Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), a former state attorney general floated as a potential 2020 running mate, announced Thursday afternoon she had withdrawn her name from the Biden campaign’s consideration, but she will continue to support him through the general election, reports The Associated Press.

“It is an honor to be considered as a potential running mate but I have to decide to withdraw my name from consideration,” said Cortez Masto in a statement. “Nevada’s economy is one of the hardest hit by the current crisis, and I will continue to focus on getting Nevadans the support they need to get back on their feet.”

Over the past month, Cortez Masto has been described in news reports as one of the potential dark-horse candidates of the vice presidential selection process. Furthermore, The Wall Street Journal recently reported that Cortez Masto was one of two candidates who had a close personal relationship with Biden, having worked closely with the former Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden, the former vice president’s son, before his death in 2015.

“My son had really very good judgment, and my son truly, truly, truly admired Catherine,” Joe Biden said in 2016 when he endorsed Cortez Masto for Senate. “He talked about her. He worked with her. She’s cut from the same cloth. She’s Latina, he suffers from being an Irish Catholic, like me, but they have the same value set.”

The Journal reports that Cortez Masto’s husband, a retired secret service agent, has a friendly relationship with the former vice president, adding that “they have occasionally played golf together, according to people familiar with their friendship.” And late last month, former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) publicly welcomed the idea of the Biden campaign looking at Cortez Masto more carefully.

As recently as Wednesday night, Cortez Masto hosted a fundraiser with former Second Lady Jill Biden on behalf of the presumptive Democratic nominee, which CNN editor-at-large Chris Cillizza mentioned Thursday when he ranked her as the fourth most-likely candidate to join the Biden ticket.

Cillizza currently ranks Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) as the leading contender for the person who may secure the spot as running mate. Notably, Harris is the other person the Journal reports as having a close relationship with former Vice President Biden.

“Beau showed courage all the time and conviction, and he spoke with so much love about the father who raised the man he was,” said Harris during an endorsement speech in March. “I know Joe, and that’s why I’m supporting him.”

As The Daily Wire previously reported on Thursday morning, betting markets currently have Harris with the best odds of joining the 2020 ticket, followed by Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and former First Lady Michelle Obama (who has expressed no interest in the job).

Biden told attendees of a virtual fundraiser on Wednesday evening that he’s planning to announce his running mate on August 1, reports Fox News.

“We’re in the process of deciding the basic cut — about whether or not they really want it. Are they comfortable? They’ve asked a lot of questions,” remarked Biden, the day before Cortez Masto withdrew from consideration.

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