Clinton VP pick expected Friday

by Amie Parnes - 07/22/16 8:02 AM ET

Hillary Clinton and her tight inner circle have made a decision about who her running mate will be, and the campaign is expected to make that announcement Friday, sources say.

One source familiar with the process said Clinton is expected to let her supporters know who she picked sometime Friday, possibly before an afternoon event in Tampa, Fla. That announcement may come through a text message or email, the source said.

{mosads}The two candidates will likely campaign together tomorrow in Miami.

So far, much of the Clinton camp has been kept in the dark about the potential pick, with even top advisers guessing about who the pick might be. But those who know Clinton best point to Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.).

“I would bet all my chips on Kaine,” one confidant of Clinton’s said Thursday.

But others made the Clinton shortlist, too. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack is another top contender, and Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Labor Secretary Tom Perez have all been seen as finalists.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) has also met with Clinton and been in the mix, but it appears the always-cautious Clinton is even more likely to pick a centrist candidate after Republican Donald Trump chose to make Indiana Gov. Mike Pence his vice presidential candidate.

One longtime Clinton friend said the Pence pick frees Clinton up “to go with someone who can be president immediately and with whom she has a strong relationship with no requirements to satisfy new demographic or diversity consideration.”

Clinton said earlier this week in an interview with Charlie Rose that she was “afflicted with the responsibility gene” and wanted someone who would be experienced above all.

Bill Clinton has signaled that he would like to see Kaine, the 58-year-old governor turned senator, on the ticket, The New York Times reported Wednesday.

Tags Bill Clinton Donald Trump Elizabeth Warren Hillary Clinton Mike Pence Sherrod Brown Tim Kaine Tom Vilsack