Romney VP search: free-floating speculation and wish list thread

[California8429]

What's the track record for Sandoval as Governor?

[California8429]

Huckabee is old news. He'd be good on TV obviously, he'd satisfy social conservatives, but would bring up economic conservative troubles. Plus there's the hypocrisy of live a healthy life oh look I gained all my weight back since 08.

[California8429]

My prediction for the main thing Romney is looking for and who he will pick for that criteria

Health Care- Bobby Jindal
Latino- Susana Martinez
Foreign Policy and Budget- Rob Portman
Entitlement Reform and Budget- Paul Ryan
Safety Pick- John Thune
Economy- Bob McDonnell

Can't be picked but many people think they will...
Personality- Chris Christie (Budget could collapse looking at recent reports)
Charisma and Latino- Marco Rubio (Financials and inexperience)
Foreign Policy- Condi Rice (Bush, double Bush with the Roberts flipping on the court even though she wasn't domestic)

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I think it's going to probably be Portman or McDonnell. Romney seems to want to focus on the economy and is giving up on the health care fight which would be a high priority reason for picking Jindal, though he still could be picked. All this talk about Pawlenty is nuts, if you want a safety go for Thune. McDonnell, Ayotte, Rubio, Portman, none of them make a difference when added on their ticket in the state, there's no freaking way Pawlenty, who is unpopular, can swing Minnesota!

Everyone unfortunately has their weaknesses no matter who he picks because, well, these people are in fact human beings. Unfortunately he can't get a latino woman who is charismatic with foreign policy experience who also is heavily trusted on economic issues and can rally conservatives without overshadowing Romney's personality. That's what Romney needs.

EDIT: I take back what I said about Pawlenty. I completely understand why he's thoroughly being looked at, it's because of Pennsylvania and therefore Michigan and Wisconsin and has nothing to do with Minnesota or his record as Governor.

[California8429]

Here's a name that never gets mentioned: Former Governor of Colorado Bill Owens.

That's because everyone who is making these decisions and are involved higher up in politics actually know who he really is and the baggage he comes with. No, it has nothing to do with his divorce. Owens I would consider one of the most corrupt politicians of his time.

[California8429]

As I was noticing on Nate Silver's page that Colorado is now exactly equally likely to vote Romney as Ohio, I suddenly had a thought about a perfect Veep if Romney wants to go for the 'boring white guy' approach: what about Wayne Allard? He's from a swing state, he's rather popular in that swing state, he has legislative experience and contacts on Capitol Hill, he was very conservative yet never offensive, and he's been a Romney loyalist, having endorsed Romney in the 2008 primaries and again in 2012. Thoughts?

No one even knew him when he was still IN the Senate here since he didn't have ambition to run for re-election in-08. He truly was the invisible man. Conservative, sure, but there's a lot of conservatives out there. An Allard pick would be the equivalent of when Dan Maes picked Tambor Williams for Lt Gov, everyone had no idea who she was since she had been out of any sort of lime light for too many years and wasn't even that noticeable when she served in the legislature.

Romney has no potential pick in Colorado. We've had too many defeats the last 6 years to actually have a viable state official.

[California8429]

my last min picks

mitch daniels, mike huckabee and john thune


oh and rob portman since alot of people already think he going to be choosen.

Daniels has accepted the position of President of Purdue so he's not going to be looked at even.

[California8429]

What about Rep. Walter Jones (NC). It would convince more Paulites to vote Romney. Mitt needs to bring in a Paulite or a well liked social conservative. A safe pick is not gonna convince me to give Willard my vote.

You are basing your vote on the VP which will have no power unless it is an establishment pick that Romney is comfortable with?

[California8429]

I think Portman is the best package at this point. T-Paw would be the same low charisma, a little better back story which I think Romney is looking for to campaign on in the rust belt states and win those Reagan democrats back, however he doesn't have foreign policy experience.

Susana Martinez would be great, hispanic woman who is a popular Governor and can work with both parties. She wouldn't overshadow Romney. Problem is she's only in the job for 2 years, but she isn't new to politics.

I'm thinking less and less Jindal now unless Romney wants a revival of the health care debate and make that a defining issue which I don't think he can. In a year and a half he hasn't escaped Romneycare is different enough from Obamacare, people have just stopped talking about that.

I'm not sure Ryan is that great of a choice. High level house member, but, I don't think Romney is bold enough with the leadership capabilities to actually go for entitlement reform.
McDonnell is also a solid choice outside of his thesis and the abortion bill, though it was watered down so you could make an argument that he isn't a radical social conservative at all.

[California8429]

what about this guy?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Owens_%28Colorado_politician%29

corrupt and will never be able to return to politics

[California8429]

My new list

1. Jindal
2. Thune
3. Ryan
4. Pawlenty
5. Portman
6. Ayotte

While Romney would certainly like to pick Pawlenty or Portman, they really won't move numbers (Pawlenty will slightly more in the rust belt than Portman). I think he'll pick Jindal. Turned around a state, popular with conservatives, historic pick. Yes he's had his response blunder, the exorcism thing, but that's probably better than being called Bush or a failure until November. The problem is he's 5' 8'' and Romney needs to be on stage with him...Height honestly could blow this pick

[California8429]

Can someone explain again why Sandoval isn't being looked at. Is it true he raised taxes? I thought he just made cuts to the budget. His approvals are high, plus 20 while in the 50s.

[California8429]

Can someone explain again why Sandoval isn't being looked at. Is it true he raised taxes? I thought he just made cuts to the budget. His approvals are high, plus 20 while in the 50s.

Who? Oh yeah, the guy no one's ever heard of who raised taxes, is pro-choice and had his state party cannibalized by Paulites.

Again, when did he raise taxes?

[California8429]

Can someone explain again why Sandoval isn't being looked at. Is it true he raised taxes? I thought he just made cuts to the budget. His approvals are high, plus 20 while in the 50s.

Who? Oh yeah, the guy no one's ever heard of who raised taxes, is pro-choice and had his state party cannibalized by Paulites.

Again, when did he raise taxes?

2011-2012 legislative session

Sales, income, corporate, sin tax or something else? Someone could get away with a sin tax, Pawlenty did.

[California8429]

Tier 1
Pawlenty and Jindal. Everyone has their faults, but these guys have the least of imperfections. Pawlenty was never popular, did some flipping (nothing compared to Romney) and Jindal with his exorcism (will the public really vote on that after a campaign centering around it for 3 months? That's not going to happen). Jindal is the choice if Romney wants healthcare near the center of the platform- Jindal is the perfect Repeal and Replace candidate, the thing is Romneycare is seen by the public as close to Obamacare don't give me arguments from I love Romney people, that's the what the public sees and he hasn't changed it in two years, he's not going to change it now. Pawlenty is just the most boring out of everyone besides Portman and is truly the perfect Romney stumper. Does he actually want him as VP? Does he broaden the base? Pawlenty I believe is the safest pick, even more than Portman

Tier 2
Portman- Bush
Ryan- Seniors
McDonnell- Abortion
Thune- Wind

These are great potential picks who have major fallbacks. Romney can overcome it if he wants, but he's a conservative strategist who is not bold enough for a fight like say in Paul Ryan's case. If he wants it, he can flip perception and win, but I think Romney is too timid a candidate to want to do that. Thune with wind, Romney's already far in the hole there, what is going to do with the guy who's always been for wind credits. Portman is an extension of George Bush no denying it, especially the budget. No, it wasn't Portman's administration, he wasn't calling the shots, he didn't start the wars, but it will be there. McDonnell on abortion, Colorado is under attack by pro-choice people and Obama is waging the war on women card. Romney can't pick McDonnell unless he has some balls for a fight and throughout the primaries it's been clear that everyone hates Romney on abortion both pro-choice and pro-life, does he really want to end up like Ken Buck when the campaign should be about the economy?

Tier 3
The odd balls who tend to have the best people, but Romney is most afraid of picking. Ayotte, who really doesn't bring anything to the ticket but is loyal and could make a quick attack early in the game when people think she'll be as dumb as Palin on TV, but that's all Romney will get from her. Sandoval, his numbers could flip Nevada, he can help win the southwest, but again, Romney needs to be ready for a fight- this time immigration. Martinez, same as Sandoval, only approved by all conservatives, and would be more historic. Rubio, has financial problems, but would fire the base. Then again, does the country want a convention in Tampa with the Vice President being from Florida? Rice, yes nobody is looking at her anymore but she makes up Romney's foreign policy deficit which is embarrassing. Romney shouldn't be down 10 in CO and IA on foreign policy to Obama. Yes she's pro-choice, but I think her pro-choiceness would hurt a lot less than Sandoval, she has amazing numbers I'm sure you've seen the remarkable number shifts when she's on the ticket in PPP polls all across the board. Petraeus, everyone loves him, but Romney would never ask nor would Petraeus accept probably.

In the end, it looks like Pawlenty unless Romney grows a pair and decides he wants to win which involves risk and actually fighting.

[California8429]

Romney and Myers have done a spectacular job of making sure nothing has ever been leaked. Why is the world assuming it's between Portman, Ryan, and Pawlenty. Sure, they are choices, but there are other safe choices in the country that nobody in the news or blogs have looked at seriously. Why do we assume it's probably one of them and that Romney isn't seriously considering underdogs who aren't Palin types, but simply under the radar on the VP search?

[California8429]

Not to be confused with my tier groupings. This is just groups in order it looks Romney will pick with the latest news.

Group 1
Ryan, Portman, Jindal

Group 2
McDonnell, Thune

Group 3
Pawlenty

Group 4
Anyone else

If it isn't chosen by the first stop in Florida, then McDonnell is 99% out for sure.

[California8429]

1. Ryan
2. Jindal
3. Portman
4. McDonnell
5. Pawlenty
6. Thune

[California8429]

Well since we still don't know if this is truly confirmed

1. Ryan
2. Christie
3. None of us saw that one coming