Who are the worst potential VP picks?

[Crumpets]

For all the talk of "best running mate for..." who do you think is the worst overall, but still realistic, choice that the candidates could make for their running mate? So, someone who doesn't deliver a state or a demographic, comes from the same wing of the party, has baggage, is just a bad campaigner, or all of these.

Hillary Clinton: Terry McAuliffe
Bernie Sanders: Larry Lessig
Martin O'Malley: Elizabeth Warren
Jim Webb: Steve Beshear
Lincoln Chafee: Richard Blumenthal

Jeb Bush: Condi Rice
John Kasich: Tim Pawlenty
Rand Paul: Justin Amash
Marco Rubio: Lindsey Graham
Scott Walker: Rick Snyder
Ben Carson: Tim Scott
Donald Trump: Donald Trump is invincible.

[MisSkeptic]

This is going to be an interesting thread.

I would say Sarah Palin as a running mate for any Republican nominee. During the 2008 John McCain chose Palin as a more "progressive" choice in having a female politician as his running mate, instead of another generic white guy politician. Which ended up affecting his camping negatively and alienating voters.

Despite the love a lot of conservatives have for Palin, I cannot imagine her having a positive affect for any conservative candidate who wishes to succeed in being elected.

[Mr. Reactionary]

Clinton - Anyone without a Y Chromosome

Trump - Admiral Stockdale
Bush - Liz Cheney
Walker - Paul Ryan (Can't decide who is more boring)

[Maxwell]

Jeb Bush is generally the worst VP pick for anyone, including himself.

[TJ in Oregon]

For the Dems, Ed FitzGerald is always a stellar option and on the Pubbie side Trump would be a mess of a VP as he'd manage to make the entire race about him. Trump/Rand Paul would also be a dysfunctional choice if Trump gets the nomination.

[/]

the Donald, obvs

[Skill and Chance]

For the Democrats: Julian Castro, Terry McAuliffe, Martha Coakley, Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, another woman (if Hillary wins the nomination)

For the Republicans: Bobby Jindal, Jim Gilmore, Ted Cruz, etc. etc.

You think there are a significant number of voters who are sexist enough to vote against Hillary/woman but who are not already sexist enough to vote against Hillary/man?  That would surprise me a lot.  Hillary could have a "she got there because of her husband problem" with some voters, which is arguably a form of sexism.  However, a woman nominee might also gain support from foreign policy doves for sexist reasons.    

Realistically, the kind of sexism that says a woman simply shouldn't be president has been in terminal decline for a while now.  Now, if either party tried to enforce an absolute rule that they must nominate a woman every other election cycle, there would be backlash, but that's quite extreme.

[Skye]

Was going to say Sarah Palin but someone already chose her.

[user12345]

Tom Coburn, Thom Tillis,  Rick Scott.

[An American Tail: Fubart Goes West]

Republicans: Tom Cotton; Thom Tillis wouldn't be very good either though.

Democrats: Gavin Newsom; Julian Castro would not be very strong either, but he'll at least have two years in cabinet.

[Suburbia]

Democrats: Jay Nixon, John Hickenlooper? (he may be a good choice)
Republicans: Tim Scott, Thom Tillis, Sarah Palin, Scott Walker, Rick Scott

[pho]

Democrats: Any southern white guy.
Republicans: Any southern white guy.

[Bigby]

Democrats: Any southern white guy.
Republicans: Any southern white guy.

This post makes me feel empty inside.

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

Any "risky pick" is a bad choice. Any incumbent swing state senator is also a bad choice.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

Carly Florina for GOP
Kaine for Democrats; not a progressive, voted for Fast Track and lost 63 house seats

Brian Schatz; Chris Murphy; Mark Warner; & Castro

[bobloblaw]

Palin

[bobloblaw]

Tim Scott would be an ok choice.

[Mister Mets]

The biggest problems would be with something most of us don't know (the main exception might be someone here familiar with a much-discussed name from their home state.)

I think Michael Bennet looks great on paper as a running mate for Hillary Clinton. He's a younger Senator (Senators tend to know more about national issues) from a key swing state (Colorado) with a background in an issue that matters to voters (Former Superintendent of Denver public schools.) But for all I know, he handles combative interviews really poorly, and is shockingly ignorant on legal matters.

[Xing]

Anyone picked in order to:

-Appeal to a single demographic group (e.g. picking Julian Castro or Carlos Curbelo to win more Latino voters.)
-Win a state (Susanna Martinez will totally make New Mexico go Republican... right? Remember when Romney won Wisconsin in 2012? Oh wait...)
-"Excite" voters (How'd Palin work out for you, McCain?)

Basically, any VP candidate who only adds something superficial to the ticket is a bad choice.

[Xing]

Anyone picked in order to:

-Appeal to a single demographic group (e.g. picking Julian Castro or Carlos Curbelo to win more Latino voters.)
-Win a state (Susanna Martinez will totally make New Mexico go Republican... right? Remember when Romney won Wisconsin in 2012? Oh wait...)
-"Excite" voters (How'd Palin work out for you, McCain?)

Basically, any VP candidate who only adds something superficial to the ticket is a bad choice.

I agree with this, but the Martinez-Ryan comparison isn't really fair. Most voters in WI had never heard of the name Paul Ryan before Romney picked him as his running mate. Martinez is better known and more popular as well.

That's true, but I highly doubt that she'd be able to deliver New Mexico, which would otherwise be a pretty safe bet for the Democrat to the Republicans. The ticket might do a few points better there, but it wouldn't be enough.

[All Along The Watchtower]

Rick Perry

[NewYorkExpress]

Democrats; Andrew Cuomo, Dan Lipinski. Gavin Newsom, Heidi Heitkamp and Bob Casey.

Republicans; Jeb Bush (who wouldn't accept) Sarah Palin (see Jeb), Donald Trump (See Jeb and Sarah), Rick Scott, Tim Scott, Condi Rice (also wouldn't accept), Deb Fischer, Chris Christie (see Game Change), Rand Paul and Pat McCrory.

[dudeabides]

For all the talk of "best running mate for..." who do you think is the worst overall, but still realistic, choice that the candidates could make for their running mate? So, someone who doesn't deliver a state or a demographic, comes from the same wing of the party, has baggage, is just a bad campaigner, or all of these.

Hillary Clinton: Terry McAuliffe
Bernie Sanders: Larry Lessig
Martin O'Malley: Elizabeth Warren
Jim Webb: Steve Beshear
Lincoln Chafee: Richard Blumenthal

Jeb Bush: Condi Rice
John Kasich: Tim Pawlenty
Rand Paul: Justin Amash
Marco Rubio: Lindsey Graham
Scott Walker: Rick Snyder
Ben Carson: Tim Scott
Donald Trump: Donald Trump is invincible.

Hillary Clinton: Cory Booker
Bernie Sanders: Elizabeth Warren
Martin O'Malley: Bernie Sanders
Jim Webb: Bernie Sanders
Lincoln Chafee: Jim Webb

Jeb Bush: Chris Christie
John Kasich: Rob Portman
Rand Paul: Ted Cruz
Marco Rubio: Donald Trump
Scott Walker: John Kasich
Ben Carson: Rick Santorum
Mike Huckabee: Rick Santorum
Donald Trump: Sarah Palin

[Lyin' Steve]

Democrats:  George W. Bush
Republicans:  Dustin Hoffman playing his character from Midnight Cowboy

[VPH]

Brian Schweitzer-I love him and I think he'd make a good veep if not for his propensity to be an absolute gaffe-machine.
Jay Nixon-Butchered the situation in Ferguson
Gavin Newsom-Really lacks experience
Bill De Blasio-Not enough experience for a VP slot
Lincoln Chafee-Aside from his lack of political loyalty, he knows nothing about policy, is a horrid speaker, and just bumbles about tossing around platitudes
Martin Heinrich-Just too boring of a pick and has 0 name recognition

Donald Trump-Just no
Carly Fiorina-Despite the inevitable temptation, it's quite important to remember how she couldn't win a senate race and ran her company into the ground
Ben Carson-While he's undoubtedly a completely brilliant mind, his outsider status and lack of issue knowledge hampers his ability as a VP
Rick Santorum-While he does have the blue-collar credentials, he's irrelevant and lost a swing state election bigtime
Sam Brownback-Running his own state into the ground, somehow reelected with a 30% approval rating in a deep Republican state
Rick Snyder-Boring, hasn't been a good governor
Tim Pawlenty/Paul Ryan/Scott Walker-Do I even have to explain?