From a 25% chance to a 4% one in a few days

The huge story in the US at the moment are the riots in many leading cities which have been set off by the killing of George Floyd by a policeman. Floyd, an African-American, died in Minneapolis on May 25, 2020, when a White Minneapolis police officer, knelt on Floyd’s neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds. This was all videoed.

Minnesota is of course where Klobuchar is from and her actions while a legal office after a similar incident 15 years ago have been widely highlighted and don’t show her in a good light.

It is looking now as though Biden would find it difficult to choose a white person for the VP slot and one who is progressing in the betting. Kamala Harris is still a strong favourite. But there’s been a big move to Val Demings. She is is a retired law enforcement officer who has served as the US Representative for a Florida congressional district, since 2017. Previously she had been Chief of the Orlando Police Department, the first woman to hold the position. 

In the current context she seems well placed to get the nomination which is decided by the presumptive presidential nominee. 77 year old Joe Biden. She’s currently 6/1 which appears to offer value.

Mike Smithson