By Sean Sullivan
Washington Post
July 6, 2020
As Joe Biden pushes ahead with his search for a running mate, Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) has quietly emerged as a serious contender, according to three people with knowledge of the selection process, one of several developing dynamics as the search enters its final weeks.
Duckworth is a Purple Heart recipient and veteran of the Iraq War, the only finalist with military combat experience — and as a woman of Thai and Chinese descent, one of several candidates of color under consideration. While she has a lower profile than some rivals, she is being taken seriously by Biden’s team, according to the people with knowledge of the search, one of whom said she has lately received strong consideration.
Former Senate majority leader Harry M. Reid, who has been in direct contact with the Biden campaign about its search, said in a recent interview there was a “lot of attention” lately on Duckworth, whom he called “a highly decorated woman.”