The day after he picks Rob Portman for VP.
Because people care about Rob Portman.
Serious people do/will. That will effect un-serious people as they try to be serious.
Voting for a presidential ticket because someone from your state was added to it as the VP doesn't strike me as very serious.
You are trying to combine Two different things.
1) People will vote
FOR Romney or perhaps against Obama
2) Serious People 'care' about Rob Portman
It is probably likely that a VP selection helps promote/jump-start the top of the ticket in their home state. The VP can't deliver the state, but they can potentially boost the top of the ticket in the state.
Poll
