Sanders campaign co-chair endorses Warren to be Biden running mate

Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), co-chair of Sen. Bernie Sanders' presidential campaign and of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, called on Tuesday for Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) to be tapped as Joe Biden's running mate.

Why it matters: Since Sanders suspended his campaign last month, he and Biden have been working to unite the progressive and moderate wings of the Democratic Party — an effort that would likely benefit from the selection of Warren as VP. Khanna told the Daily Beast that he has made the case for Warren in conversations with the Biden team.

What they're saying: Khanna wrote in a tweet thread that Warren has been influential in crafting the HEROES Act, House Democrats' $3 trillion coronavirus relief proposal.

• "In an age of sound bites, effectiveness and leadership still matter most. It simply cannot be overstated how influential @ewarren has been during this crisis and on the best parts of the House HEROES Act," Khanna tweeted.
• Khanna said Warren's input helped get funding for states to implement vote-by-mail elections and an Essential Workers Bill of Rights, among other provisions, into the legislation.
• "She needs to be on the ticket," Khanna wrote.

Worth noting: Some Democrats worry that if Warren is selected as Biden's running mate, it would leave open a Senate seat that would be filled by Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker, a Republican.

The big picture: On Wednesday, Biden and Sanders released the names of people they've appointed to joint task forces focused on health care, education, the economy, climate change, criminal justice and immigration.

• Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and former Secretary of State John Kerry are among the prominent names.