Joe Donnelly (D-Indiana) as VP?

[Suburbia]

What would freshman Sen. Joe Donnelly add to the ticket? Is he too "conservative" for the Democratic ticket whoever is No. 1?

[windjammer]

Well, if republicans go libertarian or socially moderate, I think having a social moderate/hawkish VP could help the democrats in some states: Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Minnesota, Iowa, Pennsylvania, Missouri,...

[SWE]

You've made a lot of terrible threads and I think you need to stop

[Frozen Sky Ever Why]

Pro-life.

[Indy Texas]

No. But since in all likelihood he's not going to be asked back for another term in 2018, he might want to arrange to become Deputy Secretary of XYZ or the ambassador to some undesirable country beginning in January 2019.

[Suburbia]

No. But since in all likelihood he's not going to be asked back for another term in 2018, he might want to arrange to become Deputy Secretary of XYZ or the ambassador to some undesirable country beginning in January 2019.

You're right, Indy Texas. Do you think he's the most vulnerable Senate Democrat in 2018 or is it McCaskill or Heitkamp?

[Maxwell]

He'll probably need some position to save himself from a re-election campaign.

[Mister Mets]

He's unlikely to be chosen because he's Pro-Life. But otherwise he'd be a great running mate. He has won in difficult elections, seems qualified (Six years in the House, four years in the Senate), is unlikely to make serious gaffes, and can be a good surrogate in a politically useful region.

In terms of re-election, he would benefit from a Hillary loss. Considering the way midterm elections tend to go against the party in the White House, he would seem relatively safe if a Republican were elected President, and he would become the underdog with a Democrat in the White House.

[pbrower2a]

Indiana could be drifting D.

It is sandwiched among states (other than Kentucky, which seems to be going the other direction) that used to be reliably R in Presidential elections that were not D blowouts. It is culturally more similar to Ohio than any other state. To be sure, it is less urban than Illinois, Michigan, or Ohio, but it still has Gary-Hammond and Indianapolis.

Virginia used to be reliably R in Presidential elections, too. Some states go from "Common wisdom is" to "What the Hell is going on there?" to "This place is not what it used to be".

Hardly anyone treats abortion as a triviality. Nobody really likes it, but nobody likes the extreme circumstances that make abortion a near-necessity.   

[MyRescueKittehRocks]

He's gonna be Tea Partied in 2018.

[Senate Minority Leader Lord Voldemort]

He's gonna be Tea Partied in 2018.

He's a Democrat...?

You mean he'll lose to a tea partier? He already essentially beat the tea party in 2012.

[SWE]

He's gonna be Tea Partied in 2018.

He wouldn't be in the senate if not for the Tea Party

[badgate]

In 2020, a Gillibrand/Donnelly ticket would rock.

[The Mikado]

Are we going to get one of these threads for every member of the Senate, House leadership, and governors?

Joe Donnelly isn't going to be the VP pick, and it's not because he's too conservative, it's because he's a nonentity on the national stage.

[Clarko95 📚💰📈]

Indiana is very Dem-friendly on the state level. We have a long history of electing Democratic Senators, Governors, Reps, and state legislators.

I don't think he'd necessarily be vulnerable in 2018. He'd have to put up a fight obviously, but when Indiana Dems fight, they can win and often win big. While Indiana has solidified more for the Republicans on the state level over the last 10 years, it seems he's personally popular and his moderate positions play well in the state.

Yes, he got elected against a crazy in 2012 when the state swung heavily against Obama and state legislature races, but even before Mourdock shot himself in the foot he was polling about even.


But back on the VP notion, I highly doubt it. He's a good Senator, but he doesn't seem like someone who could make a good President. Besides, there are better choices out there.

[tmthforu94]

Joe Donnelly did not win in 2012 because of himself - he won because of Richard Mourdock. Any competent Republican (Lugar, Delph, Pence, Young, Rokita, Bucshon, Skillman) could have beaten him. He isn't charismatic, not a particularly strong fundraiser, and has little relevance on the national scene. He would frustrate the far-left in the Democratic Party for his many moderate stances, especially being pro-life, and would do nothing to bring Indiana or any other state into the Democratic column.

The only benefit of selecting Joe Donnelly is if she wants to ensure she doesn't have a VP candidate who would overshadow her or cause a scene. That being said, there are FAR better choices that wouldn't upset the base as much as he would.

Joe Donnelly would likely get some sort of position within a Clinton Administration - Republicans are chomping at the bit to take him down in 2018, and especially if a Democrat remains in the White House, I am sure whoever we put up would easily dismantle him.