Kaine, Vilsack at Top of Clinton's Running Mate List, Sources Say

Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack have emerged as the top two choices to be Hillary Clinton's running mate on the Democratic ticket, campaign sources told Fox News Tuesday.

Kaine, long rumored to be on Clinton's shortlist of vice presidential candidates, still seems to be the leading contender. The former governor, who represents a key battleground state, is considered to be a safe choice for Clinton, someone who could help her appeal to moderates who have been turned off by Trump's rhetoric.

However, Vilsack, a former Iowa governor who is a longtime friend of the Clintons, is being described as a "strong" second choice.

Clinton senior adviser Karen Finney hinted in a CNN interview Tuesday that the former secretary of state would announce her running mate on Friday. However, Finney later tweeted that no date for the announcement had been set.

One person who appears to have fallen out of contention for Clinton's vice presidential slot is Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren. The liberal senator, who has consistently heckled Republican nominee Donald Trump on Twitter, is still expected to be a strong advocate for Clinton during the general election campaign.

Some Democratic sources have told Fox News that Trump's selection of Indiana Gov. Mike Pence as his running mate has cleared the way for Clinton to pick a similarly low-key candidate for vice president.