# If Romney wins the GOP nomination, who will be his running mate? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [October 7, 2011, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-romney-wins-the-gop-nomination-who-will-be-his-running-mate/598928 "2011-10-07T19:56:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-romney-wins-the-gop-nomination-who-will-be-his-running-mate/598928/1 "2011-10-07T19:56:47Z")
If he’s the GOP nominee, Romney needs to pick a veep who won’t be this year’s Sarah Palin, but who will get the wingnuts at least somewhat motivated to help out with the ground game. So is there anyone out there who fills the bill? Or will he have to choose between someone crazy (from our perspective) or someone boring (from the wingnuts’)? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-romney-wins-the-gop-nomination-who-will-be-his-running-mate/598928/2 "2011-10-07T20:12:36Z")
I don’t think there’s any overlap between the “not crazy” and “not boring” sets, so he’ll have to choose one or the other. With McCain’s example so recent in his memory, I don’t think he’ll go with the crazy and exciting route, so it’ll be someone boring. I’m thinking probably Pawlenty. ---
**Author:** ![The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_wind_of_my_soul)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-romney-wins-the-gop-nomination-who-will-be-his-running-mate/598928/3 "2011-10-07T20:15:58Z")
I think Pawlenty’s his best bet as well. ---
**Author:** ![CJJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecc23a/32.png) [@CJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CJJ)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-romney-wins-the-gop-nomination-who-will-be-his-running-mate/598928/4 "2011-10-07T20:55:53Z")
Marco Rubio sews up Florida for the GOP, and he’s already [risen to Romney’s defense on health care](http://lonelyconservative.com/2010/04/romney-endorses-rubio-rubio-defends-romney-care/). Plus he makes the Hispanic vote competitive. I wouldn’t rule him out. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-romney-wins-the-gop-nomination-who-will-be-his-running-mate/598928/5 "2011-10-07T20:59:46Z")
> [@CJJ](#): > > Marco Rubio sews up Florida for the GOP, and he’s already [risen to Romney’s defense on health care](http://lonelyconservative.com/2010/04/romney-endorses-rubio-rubio-defends-romney-care/). Plus he makes the Hispanic vote competitive. I wouldn’t rule him out. But Marco Rubio [would.](http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/virginia-politics/post/rubios-out-of-vp-consideration-what-does-it-mean-for-mcdonnell/2011/10/06/gIQAxxtQQL_blog.html) ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-romney-wins-the-gop-nomination-who-will-be-his-running-mate/598928/6 "2011-10-07T21:13:52Z")
Romney’s so unpopular in the GOP I think he’ll face tremendous pressure to pick someone who the Tea Party likes. If the Republicans can’t mobilize the religious conservatives, I don’t think they’ll stand a chance. He’ll probably need to take Perry, Palin, Cain, or Bachmann. Perry seems most likely to me, simply because the rest have a much stronger “crazy” perception in the minds of moderates and independents. ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-romney-wins-the-gop-nomination-who-will-be-his-running-mate/598928/7 "2011-10-07T21:15:32Z")
I’m thinking he will learn nothing from McCain/Palin and will pick a TeaParty approved VP candidate. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-romney-wins-the-gop-nomination-who-will-be-his-running-mate/598928/8 "2011-10-07T21:15:40Z")
_crosses fingers_ Michele Bachmann, Michele Bachmann, Michele Bachmann… ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-romney-wins-the-gop-nomination-who-will-be-his-running-mate/598928/9 "2011-10-07T21:22:20Z")
I don’t think it’ll be Bachmann. That’ll look too much like a replay of 2008. Cain’s also out - it’ll look too much like the Republican party is making its black candidates ride the back of the bus while the Democrats let them drive. Cynically, a Hispanic candidate like Rubio would be a good choice. It offers the possibility of splitting Hispanic votes away from the Democrats. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-romney-wins-the-gop-nomination-who-will-be-his-running-mate/598928/10 "2011-10-07T21:52:23Z")
Actually, given that Romney professed a liking for a Cheney type as a VP and has issues with the ultra-conservatives in his own wing, I would not rule out Cain. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-romney-wins-the-gop-nomination-who-will-be-his-running-mate/598928/11 "2011-10-07T21:55:58Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > Actually, given that Romney professed a liking for a Cheney type as a VP and has issues with the ultra-conservatives in his own wing, I would not rule out Cain. The sun will burn out before this happens. ---
**Author:** ![AbloyProtec](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9f8e36/32.png) [@AbloyProtec](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AbloyProtec)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-romney-wins-the-gop-nomination-who-will-be-his-running-mate/598928/12 "2011-10-07T22:25:32Z")
If Romney wins, I’d like to see Newt Gingrich as his VP purely for the ass kicking he’d deliver to Biden in their debate. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-romney-wins-the-gop-nomination-who-will-be-his-running-mate/598928/13 "2011-10-07T22:32:55Z")
Rubio isn’t a natural born citizen, according to many on the fringe right. The World Net Daily crowd. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2011, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-romney-wins-the-gop-nomination-who-will-be-his-running-mate/598928/14 "2011-10-08T01:01:24Z")
> [@River\_Hippie](#): > > I’m thinking he will learn nothing from McCain/Palin and will pick a TeaParty approved VP candidate. I don’t think anybody expected Palin to turn out the way she did. She was a poor choice and too-hastily vetted, but I don’t think they expected anything worse than, say, Dan Quayle. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2011, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-romney-wins-the-gop-nomination-who-will-be-his-running-mate/598928/15 "2011-10-08T01:02:53Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > Rubio isn’t a natural born citizen, according to many on the fringe right. The World Net Daily crowd. Good heavens. Why? ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2011, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-romney-wins-the-gop-nomination-who-will-be-his-running-mate/598928/16 "2011-10-08T01:05:25Z")
I think Marco Rubio is the most attractive possiblity-the Tea Party likes him but he isn’t as extreme as say Bachmann or Caine. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2011, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-romney-wins-the-gop-nomination-who-will-be-his-running-mate/598928/17 "2011-10-08T01:12:06Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I don’t think there’s any overlap between the “not crazy” and “not boring” sets, so he’ll have to choose one or the other. With McCain’s example so recent in his memory, I don’t think he’ll go with the crazy and exciting route, so it’ll be someone boring. I’m thinking probably Pawlenty. Boring _and_ crazy! Perfect! ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2011, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-romney-wins-the-gop-nomination-who-will-be-his-running-mate/598928/18 "2011-10-08T01:37:44Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > Good heavens. Why? Cause he’s brown obviously. ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2011, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-romney-wins-the-gop-nomination-who-will-be-his-running-mate/598928/19 "2011-10-08T02:12:39Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > Rubio isn’t a natural born citizen, according to many on the fringe right. The World Net Daily crowd. Is that a Constitutional requirement for the VP? I would think that he could be VP but could not ascend to the presidency. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2011, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-romney-wins-the-gop-nomination-who-will-be-his-running-mate/598928/20 "2011-10-08T02:15:52Z")
In a different thread, I said Rick Santorum. I still think so. Santorum isn’t so incredibly notorious that he would hurt amongst the moderates. The religious right likes him. And most of the time, he’s not a gibbering idiot, at least not in ways most potential GOP voters seem to think makes someone a gibbering idiot. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-romney-wins-the-gop-nomination-who-will-be-his-running-mate/598928.md?page=2)