California congresswoman Karen Bass has emerged as a leading contender to be the Democrats' vice presidential candidate.

Allies say her reputation as a bridge-builder would make her a strong partner to presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden.

The 66-year-old Bass chairs the Congressional Black Caucus and led major legislation to overhaul the policing system after the police killing of George Floyd.

She previously helped California navigate the Great Recession as state Assembly speaker. She says that background, plus her work as a community organizer and physician's assistant, makes her qualified to lead the nation through the current economic, racial and health care crises