# Tom Ridge for vice president in 2016? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [February 24, 2016, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-ridge-for-vice-president-in-2016/746948 "2016-02-24T04:19:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![GloryDays](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e9c0ed/32.png) [@GloryDays](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GloryDays)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2016, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-ridge-for-vice-president-in-2016/746948/1 "2016-02-24T04:19:22Z")
Would former Homeland Security Secretary and Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge be a good vice presidential choice in 2016 for the Republicans? He served as a congressman before that, has impeccable credentials, and could be a good VP. The only downside to Ridge is that he is pro-choice, and that is probably an anathema to conservative grassroots. -Vietnam veteran -Former Executive (Governor) -National Security Credentials -Experienced -Born 1945 > **[McCain: Ridge, abortion rights supporter, still in VP running - USATODAY.com](http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-08-14-mccain-ridge_N.htm)** > > Republican John McCain says he has not ruled out choosing Pennsylvania's popular former Gov. Tom Ridge as a running mate despite his support for abortion rights, a hot-button issue that could inflame some voters among the party's conservative base. > **[Ridge: GOP would accept abortion-rights VP](https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna26253378)** > > Former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge, who is believed to be on John McCain's short list of running mates, said Sunday he thinks Republicans would accept a vice presidential candidate like himself who supports abortion rights. > **[Tom Ridge Moves to Endorse Kasich](https://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/US-GOP-2016-Kasich/2016/02/22/id/715506/)** > > Ohio Gov. John Kasich has won the endorsement of Tom Ridge, a former director of homeland security and Pennsylvania governor.Ridge had been supporting former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush for president since early 2015 and joined him on the campaign trail in... ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2016, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-ridge-for-vice-president-in-2016/746948/2 "2016-02-24T04:26:20Z")
My first thought was that he’s too old. Then I saw that you put born in '45. Then I realized that someone born in '45 is 70 now, which doesn’t seem quite right. Maybe as VP for a whippersnapper like Rubio, although Rubio/Ridge sounds a lot like Ruby Ridge. ---
**Author:** ![Flyer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/flyer/32/7298_2.png) [@Flyer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flyer)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2016, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-ridge-for-vice-president-in-2016/746948/3 "2016-02-24T04:39:02Z")
He would not be in any way, shape, or form even halfway acceptable. (1) He was the nitwit who came up with the idiotic color threat scheme. (2) He oversaw a massive expansion of government power and intrusion. That includes the TSA. It’s bad enough when the government meddles in peoples’ private lives, but the TSA somehow manages to do that meddling in one of the grossest abominations of government incompetence ever devised. ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2016, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-ridge-for-vice-president-in-2016/746948/4 "2016-02-24T05:56:48Z")
> [@GloryDays](#): > > Would former Homeland Security Secretary and Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge be a good vice presidential choice in 2016 for the Republicans? No.