Deval Patrick and Donald Verrilli also part of a short-list.

By Sujeet Rajan

NEW YORK: California Attorney General Kamala Harris and Preet Bharara, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, are among four short-listed contenders for the post of US Attorney General, in the wake of incumbent Eric Holder announcing his resignation, which was confirmed earlier on Friday by the Justice Department.

Holder will leave his position once the successor is named, according to Politico, which also released a short-list of contenders, which has Bharara and Harris in the fray.

President Barack Obama praised Holder on Thursday saying he has done a “superb job”. Listing the achievements of Holder, Obama said the attorney general worked, not only in his administration but for decades, “To make sure that those words, ‘life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness’ are made real for all of us. Soon, Eric, Sharon and their kids will be a bit freer to pursue a little more happiness of their own, and thanks to Eric’s efforts, so will more Americans.”

Holder has been in the job for nearly six years, since the start of the Obama administration, and would be the third longest-serving attorney general if he is still in the position in December, said Politico.

Harris, who recently got married – read that story here, is a strong contender in the future to run for the Governor of California.

Bharara, an Obama appointee, is one of the sharpest legal luminaries in the administration and has earned a name for himself in New York City as a man who means business in cleaning the city of corruption. He too has been touted as Governor material.

Politico has two others in their short-list: Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, and Solicitor General Donald Verrilli.

The Senate is out of session through the midterm elections, setting up a confirmation showdown that likely would come in the lame-duck session, especially if Democrats lose the majority. Under the current Democratic majority, Holder’s successor could breeze toward passage, given that most presidential nominees now need just 51 votes to clear a filibuster.