Mitt Romney Veep Stakes

[Joe Biden 2020]

Since he is likely on a path to cruise to the nomination and very soon, at that, who do you think should make his short list and who would make the best running mate for the former Massachusetts Governor?

He needs to pick someone who will avoid "Palinitis" and be able to name several of the publications he or she reads and be able to name two or three Supreme Court cases and the result that came of those cases.

[RogueBeaver]

Shortlist: McDonnell and Jindal.

[The_Texas_Libertarian]

Governors McDonnell, Jindal, Christie, Daniels, Barbour and Senators Rubio and Toomey.

McDonnell may be the safest choice

[Beet]

Can you imagine a Romney-McDonnell ticket?

[Fritz]

Christie.

[afleitch]

If Romney sweeps just about every state on the orad to the nomination he can nominate frankly who the f--- he wants. And it will not be someone seen as more 'conservative' then him.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

I still contend that Susana Martinez is the best pick.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

Former Governor Mitt Romney needs a true moderate to balance the ticket and reach out for the independents. How about a pro-choice Senator Mitt Romney.

[Grumpier Than Thou]

I still contend that Susana Martinez is the best pick.

[big bad fab]

Hispanics are important, but may be out of reach. So, even interesting profile of an Hispanic woman like Martinez may not be so strategic.

Mobilizing the conservative base is important, but Jindal is less a star now, Haley is sidelined, Rubio is young and, after all, it's about the economy... not the social conservative values. And Rubio is the only one interesting geographically speaking, but the Palin precedent may well push Romney towards safeness.

The Midwest will be far more strategic. BUT is any GOP bigwig electable from these States... ?
So, also because Romney is a cautious man, without any fantasy and willing to find a solution of compromise, T-Paw may well come back... Midwest, rather conservative, less poshy than Mitt.

Considering personality and ability to campaign, Christie would be the best choice. But it's NJ.

I'd bet on Pawlenty for the moment, with Rubio and Christie as alternate picks.

[Simfan34]

Let's be radical and pick Luis Fortuno. The guy, in addition to being Hispanic, has adopted the kinds of tough fiscal policies that Republicans are going on about in past years.

[tmthforu94]

I have created a shortlist I plan on passing on to the Romney camp ()

Bob McDonnell
Chris Christie
Nikki Haley
Mitch Daniels
Rand Paul
Pat Toomey
Jim Demint
Marco Rubio
Susana Martinez
John Thune
David Petraeus

Bob McDonnell, Chris Christie, Rand Paul, and Marco Rubio are the Top 4 in my opinion, though that'll likely change. David Petraeus would be a grand-slam pick here, but I doubt he'd do it.

[King]

McDonnell needs the veep to be a relevant person in 2016 as a "former Governor" (in a stronger field).

[Negusa Nagast 🚀]

Thune would be a solid Midwestern pick for Romney.

Romney's problem is that all of his VP choices will have more spine than him...

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

I have created a shortlist I plan on passing on to the Romney camp ()

Bob McDonnell - yes
Chris Christie - yes
Nikki Haley - nope (baggage)
Mitch Daniels - yes
Rand Paul - nope
Pat Toomey - maybe too green
Jim Demint - nope - too much of a fire-breathing right-winger
Marco Rubio - possible... but see Toomey
Susana Martinez - almost perfect (latino and woman (two groups the GOP need...) decent social conservative credentials
John Thune - yeah... but basically makes Hunstman look charismatic
David Petraeus - I wouldn't count on him wanting to get tangled in this season

Bob McDonnell, Chris Christie, Rand Paul, and Marco Rubio are the Top 4 in my opinion, though that'll likely change. David Petraeus would be a grand-slam pick here, but I doubt he'd do it.

However, yes - almost any of the great picks would completely overshadow Romney.

[All Along The Watchtower]

McDonnell, Thune, Daniels, Christie...

[stegosaurus]

He needs someone articulate who can add conservative credentials to the ticket. Rubio, Christie, Santorum, Thune, and McDonnell would all be decent picks, the obvious best being Rubio.

[redcommander]

I love Martinez, but I don't think she has national ambitions right now. She hasn't been focusing on red meat issues in her first year, and has flat out denied she would accept a VP offer. I guess the next best choice for Romney is Christie or Rubio.

[The_Texas_Libertarian]

Governors McDonnell, Jindal, Christie, Daniels, Barbour and Senators Rubio and Toomey.

McDonnell may be the safest choice

Ok Barbour's chances of being a VP or a future presidential nominee just fell dramatically  

[RodPresident]

Maybe Tom Corbett would be a best choice. A Republican governor from a swing state that have an decent amount of electoral votes.

[auburntiger]

If it's all about being safe with a vp choice, he should definitely pick McDonnell, not only bc he's more conservative, but he's from VA, a swing state.

[Is Totally Not Feeblepizza.]

I have created a shortlist I plan on passing on to the Romney camp ()

Bob McDonnell - Yes
Chris Christie - Yes
Nikki Haley - Too green, possibly too much baggage
Mitch Daniels - Yes
Rand Paul - Too green, maybe too libertarian
Pat Toomey - Too green
Jim Demint - Good choice, but I doubt he will accept even if given the offer
Marco Rubio - Too green
Susana Martinez - Wonderful choice, but too green
John Thune - Yes
David Petraeus - Great choice, but I doubt he'd do it

Bob McDonnell, Chris Christie, Rand Paul, and Marco Rubio are the Top 4 in my opinion, though that'll likely change. David Petraeus would be a grand-slam pick here, but I doubt he'd do it.

The sad thing is that a great deal of wonderful potential veeps (Paul, Toomey, Rubio, and especially Martinez) need more time. Come 2016 or 2020, however, I can easily see them being prime presidential or vice-presidential material.

McDonnell, Christie, Thune, and Daniels (if he's willing) are probably the best choices from this list. Other goodies to think about are T-Paw or even Santorum. Santorum actually fares better than Romney against Obama in most Pennsylvania polls, and is both younger and more charismatic than Corbett.

Barbour wouldn't be a good pick for some of the reasons DeMint wouldn't be (too conservative for Romney, probably not very enthusiastic about becoming VP anyway). He also, like Haley, has baggage (was a lobbyist for Big Tobacco, made racist comments, possibly violated the Mississippi Constitution during his final days as governor). Fortuno may be risky not because of his "out-of-left-field" quality, but because he's a part of the New Progressive Party as well as the Republican Party in Puerto Rico. Granted I'm not quite sure what the NPP stands for, but this may hurt Romney with right-wingers who seethe upon seeing the word "progressive" attached to anything or anyone.

Therefore, if I were Romney my short-list would go like this:

Bob McDonnell;
Chris Christie;
Mitch Daniels;
John Thune;
Tim Pawlenty;
and Rick Santorum

[cavalcade]

There are four factors I think are at work for a Romney veep, in rough order of importance at this time:

(1) Pacify/energize the base- an evangelical or very conservative non-evangelical.  Obviously the importance of this depends on how well Mitt unifies the Republican party, but as of now I'd say it's the most important thing to consider.

(2) Connects with swing voters in swing states.

(gap)

(3) Knows Washington.

(4) Can help raise money.


My 4-man shortlist right now would be:

Thune- nails 1 and 3, potentially strong on 2
Christie- nails 2, strong on 4, potentially strong on 1
McDonnell- potentially strong on 1 and 2, deserves special mention for Virginia thing
Rubio- nails 1, strong on 2, deserves special mention for Florida/Hispanic thing

[Scooter]

Richard Burr (R- NC)

- from a swing state
- conservative but not too far right
- southern
- foreign policy exp. in Senate
-not too old or young

[exopolitician]

I wouldn't be surprised if he picked Kelly Ayotte.