( CNN ) -- The surprise announcement on Thursday that Eric Holder will resign as attorney general has D.C. buzzing . And the big question on everyone 's mind : Who will replace him ? Holder has been in his position since the start of President Barack Obama 's first term . In fact , he 's one of only three remaining original members of Obama 's Cabinet ( Education Secretary Arne Duncan and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack are the others . ) The attorney general also is a close personal friend of Obama , and sources tell CNN that the President will be looking to appoint a successor with whom he has a relationship . Eric Holder 's legacy . So who might be chosen to fill Holder 's shoes ? Here 's a list of seven candidates who definitely will be in the mix for the job , in no particular order . Massachusetts Gov . Deval Patrick . Deval Patrick is one of the names consistently floated as a hypothetical replacement for Holder . Patrick worked as an assistant attorney general in the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department during the Clinton administration , and is a friend of Obama . The timing is also convenient for Patrick . He 's not seeking reelection in Massachusetts and will be out of his job come January . Patrick would likely face a tough confirmation in the Senate though , and particularly if Republicans take back control of the upper chamber in the midterm elections . Plus , he might have his eye on a bigger job . There has been speculation that he 's considering a presidential run in 2016 . Obama said in an interview with a local Boston news station earlier this year that he thinks Patrick `` would make a great president or vice president . '' Solicitor General Donald Verrilli Jr . The nation 's top lawyer , Donald Verrilli Jr. , is another name mentioned as a potential new AG . Verrilli has served as solicitor general since 2011 , and in that role he 's argued several landmark cases before the Supreme Court on behalf of the administration , including the Affordable Care Act case . Before he took over as solicitor general -- replacing Elena Kagan after her confirmation to the Supreme Court -- Verrilli served as deputy counsel to Obama . One potential con for Verrilli though is that he is an older white male , and the administration may be looking to replace Holder with a younger or more diverse candidate . California Attorney General Kamala Harris . A rising star in the Democratic Party , Kamala Harris is another person whose name will definitely be thrown into the conversation . Harris is the first female , the first African-American and the first Asian-American attorney general in California . Well-known in California for her legal work , Harris might be best remembered on the national level for the small controversy last year that occurred after the President referred to her as `` the best-looking attorney general '' at a fundraiser in California . Like Deval Patrick however , Harris would likely face a tough Senate confirmation , particularly in a Republican-controlled Senate , because she is seen as very liberal . Kathy Ruemmler , former White House counsel . Ruemmler served as White House counsel from 2011 until earlier this year . She 's a close confidante of the president and very well-respected sources tell CNN Chief Political Analyst Gloria Borger that Ruemmler is indeed a strong contender for the job . One potential knock on her , Borger notes , is her former role as the president 's lawyer might raise questions about how independent a Justice Department under her rule would be from the administration . Preet Bharara , U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York . Like Holder , Bharara has served in the Obama administration for six years . Bharara was nominated to serve as the U.S. attorney for New York 's Southern District ( which encompasses Bronx , New York and Westchester counties , among others ) in May 2009 . Sources tell Borger that Bharara 's name is certainly on the list , but a potential factor working against him is that he 's not well-known to many people , including the President . Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson . Before he became the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security last year , Jeh Johnson was a lawyer for the Department of Defense . Working in Johnson 's favor : He was confirmed 78-16 to his current post . Working against Johnson : Removing him from DHS would put Obama in the position of finding a replacement -- not ideal right now , given the new threats from ISIS and the Khorasan group . Loretta Lynch , U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York . In May , 2010 Lynch was appointed to serve as the U.S. attorney in New York 's Eastern District , which includes high-profile areas like Brooklyn , Queens and Staten Island , for a second time . She previously served in that job toward the end of the Clinton administration , from 1999 to 2001 . Although she may not have the same national name recognition as others on the list , a source tells CNN 's Gloria Borger that Lynch is a known quantity to Obama . CNN 's Evan Perez and Mike Ahlers contributed to this report .
Attorney General Kamala Harris to step down from his position after high-profile tenure . Holder is three of one original appointees in New York 's 's AG . New appointee could face heated confirmation hearings .