Nevada Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto withdraws name from Biden's VP list

Nevada Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D) on Thursday said she will not be former Vice President Joe Biden's running mate, as she wants to focus on helping her state get through the coronavirus pandemic.

It was "an honor to be considered," said Cortez Masto, the first Latina elected to the Senate, "but I have decided to withdraw my name from consideration. Nevada's economy is one of the hardest hit by the current crisis and I will continue to focus on getting Nevadans the support they need to get back on their feet."

Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, said a statement he has "admired Sen. Cortez Masto as long as I have known her because she's a leader with integrity." Biden has said he will choose a woman to be his vice president, and Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) are believed to be on his list. On Wednesday, Biden told supporters he will announce his pick by Aug. 1.

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