For me, I would like to see Nikki Haley (gov - SC) run. Young, intelligent. Has gravitas with the business crowd and has diversity in her background. Moreover she was very smart about the SC = Confederate flag kerfuffle.
What about a moderate female Senator from Maine? Not Olympia Snowe but Susan Collins.
And there is Brian Sandoval (gov - NV). I think he may be the most electable candidate in the Pub primary that is also very electable in the general.
Not as well-known would be Charlie Baker (gov - MA) who is IMHO exactly what our party needs, a fiscal conservative but a social libertarian. What would worry me is his being a shill of the insurance industry while Obamacare is re-examined as you know it will be if the Pubs take the White House. Overall, will never win the primary but definately should get consideration for VP to show the voters the Party is moving back to the middle.
Similar for Mark Kirk (sen - IL) Too socially progressive to win the primary unfortunately but would be a great VP candidate.
And of course traditional "He’d make a great VP - Rob Portman (sen - OH)
Heck, just open any phone book to a random page, & jab your finger.
Given the size of the ticket, there’s a one-in-five chance they are already a candidate!
Haley and Sandoval are definitely rising stars and will be in the mix in 2020 if Republicans lose in 2016, or 2024 afterwards. Either could be the VP pick in 2016.
Long term, I also like Tom Cotton and I still have a man crush on Paul Ryan, although I figure Ryan is probably going to stay where he is until he’s 100.
If y’all can draft Susan Collins I’d pull the Republican lever on the Prez race for the first time in decades. Several of these others look a lot more palatable than the set of Republicans getting all the media attention du jour. I’d look seriously at Rob Portman.
Bondi is a rising star, but she’s too Bachmann-like and we shouldn’t be drawing VPs from the ranks of state AGs. She can be governor when Scott’s term expires if she wants. Then we’ll see what she’s actually capable of.
Nah. He’s a typical politician and if we’re going to have one of those it should at least be a governor who has gotten things done. Cruz isn’t ready to be President either but at least he’s a straight talker.
