Our Next Vice President Could Be a Current Governor — What Happens in That Case?

Now that Joe Biden has officially dropped out of the presidential race, giving up hope for reelection and instead endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democrats' political landscape is a bit of a mystery. If Kamala does, indeed, win the nomination, the next big question will be surrounding her pick for VP.

There have already been a few big names thrown into the conversation, and a few of them currently hold gubernatorial positions — like North Carolina's Roy Cooper, Kentucky's Andy Beshear, and Pennsylvania's Josh Shapiro.

What happens if an acting governor is chosen to become vice president? Who will take up their post?

Out of all the names that have come up in terms of Kamala Harris's potential running mate, the one that has been extremely prominent is Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro. Elected in 2022, Shapiro has become a promising figure in Democratic politics, and he has already endorsed Harris for presidential office.

But what happens over in Pennsylvania if he is actually appointed as VP?

According to Ballotpedia, a nonprofit and nonpartisan organization aiming to inform the public about federal, state, and local politics, there are 45 states in the U.S. with a lieutenant governor — and if the governor is removed from office for any reason, be it death, impeachment, or being promoted to vice president, then the lieutenant governor would take their place.

In states without a lieutenant governor, like Maine and New Hampshire, the president of the state senate would take the governor's place. However, in Oregon, Arizona, and Wyoming, the next person in line for governor would be the secretary of state.

Sixteen of our 49 vice presidents have come from gubernatorial positions, from Thomas Jefferson of Virginia to Mike Pence of Indiana.