After capturing the Democratic nomination weeks ago, presidential hopeful Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., has begun the important task of narrowing a list of prospective vice-presidential candidates.

Although no names have been mentioned by the Kerry campaign, political staffers for the senators acknowledged the search for a running mate is on.

Highly recognized names such as Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C., and Rep. Richard A. Gephardt, D-Mo., who both ran in the Democratic primaries against Kerry, are being considered as well as host of other names, including New Mexico governor Bill Richardson, Iowa governor Thomas J. Vilsack, Kansas governor Kathleen Sebelius and William Cohen, a Republican senator from Maine who served in the Clinton administration.

Kerry has said he hopes to pick a candidate within the next eight weeks.

Seth Boffeli, spokesperson for the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, said there are a number of political benefits from selecting a candidate early in the race.

“He will [pick a vice president] in May or June to have two people out there, getting media attention and fundraising,” Boffeli said, adding that President Bush has the power of incumbency on his side making Kerry’s campaign strategy all the more important. “Democrats have approached this election like none before.”

Don Eggert, co-chair of Students for Kerry, agreed, saying picking a vice-presidential candidate early on would help Kerry in many ways.

“The idea is that you can do two locations a day instead of one, and when people know who you are running with it gives you credibility as a candidate,” Eggert said. “It’s all about coverage and credibility.”

When considering his potential running mate, Eggert said Kerry would likely first look at who would serve best as the president should Kerry be unable to serve. Then, Kerry will consider what traits or experience the candidate brings to the Democratic ticket.

“The word that everyone uses is balance,” Eggert said. “You might be balancing a character trait or geography. You want people to see the ticket as a whole and well-rounded and that they have complimentary strengths,”

Boffeli agreed, saying Al Gore selected Joe Lieberman to fill the vice-president spot to balance his own personality.

“Al Gore and Lieberman clicked personally. Lieberman loosened Gore up,” Boffeli said. “So [when picking Kerry’s vice president], you look at what does Kerry need.”

While Boffeli said he had no idea who Kerry was seriously considering, he said all of the commonly named candidates would be very attractive for the ticket.

“Richardson is incredibly popular in the Hispanic community … Edwards is also very popular,” he said. “Our campaign is going to be centered on the economy. This campaign is going to be about the haves and the have-nots under George Bush, and that was said a lot by John Edwards.”

Eggert, however, said he saw Edwards fitting into the Kerry picture only after Kerry is elected president.

“John Edwards is a better candidate for attorney general,” Eggert said. “The lack of experience he would have as a president he would also have as a VP.”