Next week, Joe Biden will announce who he has selected as his running mate. During the entire course of a rather strange campaign, there has only been a bumbling Biden to represent his brand. Soon, the second half of the ticket will be revealed, and the addition will have a big impact on the campaign’s trajectory.

The former vice president is fully aware of how a pick can add much to a platform. As President Barack Obama’s right-hand man for eight years, Biden helped to capture the portion of the left-leaning electorate that was perhaps looking for an older politician to join a young, much less experienced but charismatic star. During a primary debate this March, Biden committed to picking a woman as his running mate. Since then, some members of his party have encouraged him to pick a woman of color. Regardless of the final choice, his selection is sure to capture support in ways that he alone simply cannot.