Does Susana Martinez have more substance than Sarah Palin?

[Lincoln Republican]

New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez has been discussed as a possible running mate for Mitt Romney.

After John McCain picked her, it became a widely held view that Sarah Palin did not have the substance or wherewithal to be Vice President, a heart beat away from the Presidency.

Does Susana Martinez have more substance than Sarah Palin, and more to the point, does Susana Martinez possess the qualities and capabilities required in a Vice President that is essential in these challenging times of economic uncertainty at home and abroad and of political upheaval in many parts of the world?

Please discuss.

[TheGlobalizer]

Yes, but I don't think she's ready, and I don't think she's enough of an ideologue for a national campaign.

Her term thus far has been marked by a strong focus on local issues and, at times, pragmatism.  She's been a solid governor thus far, reaching out to traditionally Democratic constituencies (in particular, the Navajo Nation) and being a cagy realist about NM's heavily Democratic legislature (see her partial veto attempt, and her positioning on the state's Medicaid program).

Hopefully she'll be a two-termer and grow into a voice for the Hispanic GOP, and then we can talk about presidential aspirations.

[RogueBeaver]

By a country mile.

[Lincoln Republican]

Thank you for your comments.

I totally agree.

I believe Governor Martinez is a very capable and intelligent woman, clearly an able lawyer, as demonstrated when District Attorney, and a talented chief executive for New Mexico.

I do agree that she is not, at this time, ready for the VP nomination, although, in my view, infinitely more capable of the job than was Sarah Palin.

In my view, a female running mate for Romney would have to be someone along the lines of an Elizabeth Dole circa 2000.

After the Palin fiasco of 2008, I highly doubt that any Republican nominee would be picking a female running mate only 4 years later in 2012.  Two female running mates in a row may smack of tokenism.

[Mr. Morden]

Early 2008 Sarah Palin had more substance than Sarah Palin.

[GLPman]

Martinez is definitely more qualified than Palin, but that unfortunately does not say too much. Martinez is one of the few GOP governors across the nation that maintains an approval rating above 50%. Her term in New Mexico has been successful so far, too, which is more than many of the other GOP governors can say (i.e. Walker). Martinez, in my opinion, would be a good addition to the ticket. There are two drawbacks, however:

1) She really doesn't have THAT much executive experience. She's been governor for less a year and will only have roughly 2 years under the belt by the time November 2012 rolls around.

2) It's difficult to determine if she'll help the GOP in the Southwest and among Hispanic voters, both of which might be a lost cause depending on who the nominee is.

Nonetheless, Martinez seems less polarizing than some of the other GOP figures who are under consideration for VP, such as Rubio. A Romney/Martinez ticket certianly would not be bad.

[RosettaStoned]

 Definitely. I can see her on the GOP ticket in the future. Not next year though, for the same reason Winfield already supplied.

[Lief 🗽]

People often forget that Sarah Palin was a really good governor and basically a moderate before she was picked by McCain and turned into a crazy person.

[King]

Martinez, like Perry, is too liberal on immigration for the national GOP.

[Vosem]

People often forget that Sarah Palin was a really good governor and basically a moderate before she was picked by McCain and turned into a crazy person.

This.

[All Along The Watchtower]

People often forget that Sarah Palin was a really good governor and basically a moderate before she was picked by McCain and turned into a crazy person.

wut