Joe Biden says he would consider a Republican running mate as he makes pitch for unity

Joe Biden has suggested that he would pick a Republican as his running mate for the 2020 presidential election.

Though he admitted that he did not have anyone specific in mind, Senator Biden - who is fighting to win the Democratic nomination to take on President Trump in next year's vote - insisted there were "some really decent Republicans out there".

The former vice-president could be making a pitch for the centre ground and trying to attract independent voters or Republican supporters unconvinced by Donald Trump.

A voter told Mr Biden during a party event on Monday in Exeter, New Hampshire, that her son had wondered if the he would consider choosing a Republican as a running mate.

"The answer is, I would, but I can’t think of one now," Mr Biden said as the crowd laughed.

Mr Biden went on to say there are "some really decent Republicans that are out there still," before adding that "they’ve got to step up."

At the start of Monday’s event, Mr Biden reminded voters his goal is to unite the country.

"I refuse to accept the proposition that we’ll be in a state of perpetual war with Republicans, because you can’t govern the country if that’s the case," Mr Biden said. "We are a democracy, and our democracy depends upon consensus. We have to be able to pull the country together."

Mr Biden is sometimes asked about possible running mates by voters on the campaign trail. He said on Monday that it was presumptuous to talk about the idea at this point in the campaign.

If he becomes the Democratic nominee, Mr Biden said, he would want to pick someone "simpatico" with him and his priorities, telling voters there are "a lot of qualified women" and "a lot of qualified African-Americans."

"There’s a plethora of really qualified people," Mr Biden said.

Opinion polls show that Mr Biden is the preferred choice among Democratic voters ahead of Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren. Mr Biden's chief argument for his candidacy is that he is best positioned to beat Mr Trump next year because he can appeal to centrist voters in key battleground states.

Past presidential nominees have flirted with the idea of crossing party lines. In 2008, the Republican pick, Senator John McCain, wanted his close friend, Senator Joe Lieberman, a Democrat-turned-independent, on the ticket.

But pressure within the party pushed McCain to make Sarah Palin, the former Alaskan Governor, his vice-presidential choice, a move that did little to prevent Barack Obama winning the election.