# 2020 GOP nominee if both Trump and Pence are incapacitated? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [May 10, 2020, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-gop-nominee-if-both-trump-and-pence-are-incapacitated/853533 "2020-05-10T13:05:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2020, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-gop-nominee-if-both-trump-and-pence-are-incapacitated/853533/1 "2020-05-10T13:05:18Z")
Kind of inspired by the thread speculating on a Pelosi presidency. Anyway, would the Republicans go for an establishment figure with a record of competence like Mike DeWine, who’s gotten good reviews for his handling of the Covid-19 crisis in Ohio? Would they choose an ideological firebrand like Ted Cruz? Or continue the Trumpism with a populist rabblerouser like Tom Cotton? Would someone else outside of politics come on the scene and take the party by storm? ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2020, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-gop-nominee-if-both-trump-and-pence-are-incapacitated/853533/2 "2020-05-10T15:32:06Z")
I think we can take Romney off the list. 🙂 Probably Rubio or Cruz or Nikki Haley as a wild card. They would pick a woman for VP to match Biden. ---
**Author:** ![RioRico](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f04885/32.png) [@RioRico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RioRico)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2020, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-gop-nominee-if-both-trump-and-pence-are-incapacitated/853533/3 "2020-05-10T20:17:29Z")
Lacking Tramp & Pants, GOPs likely wouldn’t run a senator because they _need_ the Senate. That leaves governors, representatives, or former or current cabinet-level officials. ISTM Nikki Haley is the least toxic of that crowd, but I doubt GOPs could field _anyone_ with a chance against Biden… unless serious suppression and ratfucking. There’s always Sarah Palin. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2020, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-gop-nominee-if-both-trump-and-pence-are-incapacitated/853533/4 "2020-05-10T21:09:23Z")
> [@RioRico](#): > > Lacking Tramp & Pants, GOPs likely wouldn’t run a senator because they _need_ the Senate. That leaves governors, representatives, or former or current cabinet-level officials. I’m not sure I’d say Ivanka is “cabinet-level”. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2020, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-gop-nominee-if-both-trump-and-pence-are-incapacitated/853533/5 "2020-05-10T21:32:59Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > I think we can take Romney off the list. 🙂 Probably Rubio or Cruz or Nikki Haley as a wild card. They would pick a woman for VP to match Biden. Why? Have you forgotten who the RNC chair is? They could easily pick Romney and then fight the 2024 battle. Romney will still pick the same judges and sign all the tax cuts. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2020, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-gop-nominee-if-both-trump-and-pence-are-incapacitated/853533/6 "2020-05-11T03:10:49Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > Why? Have you forgotten who the RNC chair is? They could easily pick Romney and then fight the 2024 battle. Romney will still pick the same judges and sign all the tax cuts. But, assuming Trump and Pence bite it before the convention, the RNC chair won’t pick the nominee. That decision will be made by the 2,550 delegates to the Republican National Convention. Some of these are party apparatchiks who will dutifully vote for whomever the leadership tells them to. But many are wild-eyed Trumpists who hate Romney and feel no particular need to go along with the party’s leadership. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2020, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-gop-nominee-if-both-trump-and-pence-are-incapacitated/853533/7 "2020-05-11T04:24:09Z")
> [@flurb](#): > > But, assuming Trump and Pence bite it before the convention, the RNC chair won’t pick the nominee. That decision will be made by the 2,550 delegates to the Republican National Convention. Some of these are party apparatchiks who will dutifully vote for whomever the leadership tells them to. But many are wild-eyed Trumpists who hate Romney and feel no particular need to go along with the party’s leadership. But I have a feeling in a time of COVID, a lot of them will settle for a one term Romney who could get some of those Republicans for Biden voters. And, many of them are Trumpers because of Trump. ---
**Author:** ![RioRico](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f04885/32.png) [@RioRico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RioRico)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2020, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-gop-nominee-if-both-trump-and-pence-are-incapacitated/853533/8 "2020-05-11T06:55:58Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > I’m not sure I’d say Ivanka is “cabinet-level”. I somehow doubt even the most lickspittle GOP toadies would risk Ivanka in combat. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2020, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-gop-nominee-if-both-trump-and-pence-are-incapacitated/853533/9 "2020-05-12T00:09:34Z")
Trumpers will never forgive Romney for voting to convict orange man in the impeachment trial. Utah is still very red outside of SLC but I think someone will try to run against him in the GOP primary assuming he runs in 2024. He will be 77 then so he may decide to be one and done in the senate.