Pick a Running Mate for these Republican Candidates

[California8429]

Romney-Gingrich/McDonnell
Palin- Hayley (not sure if anyone would say yes)
Thune- Daniels/Christie/McDonnell
Pawlenty- Rubio/McDonnell
Huckabee- Daniels
J. Bush- Pataki
Gingrich- Pataki/Thune/Christie
Christie- Thune/Daniels/McDonnell
Daniels- Thune/Rubio/McDonnell
Barbour- Christie/McDonnell
Rubio- Christie/McDonnell
Paul- Nobody reasonable to balance the ticket would say yes
Johnson- See "Paul"
Cain- Any VP would weigh him down (aka: people would want the ticket flipped)

[California8429]

Also honorable mentions on shortlists

Portman, Cantor, Jindal, Ayotte, Martinez, Kasich (maybe).

I'm saying Gingrich/Pataki will be on shortlists if they preform well. I mean if its nothing, then nobody will want them. But I do expect a fight to the finish between Gingrich/Romney

[California8429]

It won't be Portman, Kasich, Ayotte, Haley or anyone else from the 2010 freshmen.

Kasich and Portman both have many years of Washington experience prior to their new jobs.  Heck, they were both mentioned in veep speculation for McCain in 2008.

EDIT: In fact, I suspect that part of Portman's motivation for running for senate in the first place was to set himself up for veep in 2012.

Plus, these guys were in the spotlight and tested. Palin was not

[California8429]

Bobby Jindal IMO would be a great VEEP candidate for Romney. He is a solid economic and social conservative, who can reach out to economic and social conservatives also squeamish about Romney.

If Romney wins the GOP nod, I think Romney/Jindal would be a really strong ticket (though Romney isn't my first choice for the GOP nod).

Like I said upthread, I don't think we're going to see a Mormon / South Asian Catholic GOP ticket.  Too electorally risky, from Romney's perspective.  Of course race and religion *shouldn't* matter, but I'm afraid they still do.

I think America no longer cares about religion in politics anymore. A decade ago, this would still be weird...but America has grown out of religion. And the media makes a bigger deal on the race of the candidate than the American public.

[California8429]

Bobby Jindal IMO would be a great VEEP candidate for Romney. He is a solid economic and social conservative, who can reach out to economic and social conservatives also squeamish about Romney.

If Romney wins the GOP nod, I think Romney/Jindal would be a really strong ticket (though Romney isn't my first choice for the GOP nod).

Like I said upthread, I don't think we're going to see a Mormon / South Asian Catholic GOP ticket.  Too electorally risky, from Romney's perspective.  Of course race and religion *shouldn't* matter, but I'm afraid they still do.

I think America no longer cares about religion in politics anymore. A decade ago, this would still be weird...but America has grown out of religion. And the media makes a bigger deal on the race of the candidate than the American public.

I wish you were right, but I'm skeptical.  Why did Romney do so poorly in 2008 primaries in states like Alabama and South Carolina?  Just because he's from the Northeast?  I doubt it.

He was by far the most liberal, and he still preformed well. Look how close he was in Georgia and Missouri.

[California8429]

He was by far the most liberal....

Uh, what?  He did nothing but attack McCain from the right.

But McCain played the maverick card, and he didn't win/try in the South anyways. Romney was from MA, had RomneyCare, did little as a conservative, flip flopped on abortion and Huckabee attack him. And the south is skeptical of the media remember