Getty Images

House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn has former VP Joe Biden’s ear, and the prominent South Carolinian is making sure his wishes for the campaign are known. The Hill reports that on Wednesday Congressman Clyburn told the current frontrunner to choose a Black woman as his running mate.

Clyburn endorsed Biden just days before the South Carolina primary that took place late last month. Many have called it a quintessential moment in the 2020 election season, giving Biden a much-needed boost in what appeared to be a floundering campaign. In February Clyburn also told NPR that he believed “we’ve reached a point in this country where African American women need to be rewarded for the loyalty that they’ve given to this party.” So it’s no surprise that on his shortlist of running mates are very capable Black women.

Among those who he thinks would be optimal choices to share the ticket with Biden are former Democratic candidate, Sen. Kamala Harris and Georgia gubernatorial nominee and Fair Fight Georgia founder Stacey Abrams. Biden has openly discussed his liking for both of the potential running mates.

Last March, rumors began to surface that Biden was considering tapping Abrams as an early running mate on his ticket. She, however, said at the time that she was mulling over a potential run herself. “I think you don’t run for second place,” Abrams told hosts on The View.

In December, Biden publicly stated that he would seriously consider Harris as his VP. “Of course I would,” Biden insisted. “Look, Sen. Harris has the capacity to be anything she wants to be. I mean it sincerely. I talked to her yesterday. She’s solid, she can be president someday herself, she can be vice president, she could go on to be a Supreme Court justice, she could be attorney general. I mean she has enormous capability.”

HOUSTON, TEXAS – SEPTEMBER 12: Democratic presidential candidates former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) speak after the Democratic Presidential Debate at Texas Southern University’s Health and PE Center on September 12, 2019 in Houston, Texas. Ten Democratic presidential hopefuls were chosen from the larger field of candidates to participate in the debate hosted by ABC News in partnership with Univision. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

In addition to Abrams and Harris, Clyburn also has Democratic Reps. Marcia Fudge (Ohio), Val Demings (Fla.) and Karen Bass (Calif.) on his shortlist of Black women running mates, as well as Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms.