What would be the ideal ticket for both parties that would stand the best chance of winning the most EVs and appeal to a large cross-section of the electorate under favourable circumstances of it being a very big wave year with a big backlash against the other party for whatever reason? The Obama 2008 election and 2006 midterms perhaps the best recent example of such a situation.
The ideal sort of ticket that could also win over independent voters and moderates of the other party and flip blue states red or red states blue given the ideal environment?
Republican - Nikki Haley perhaps as presidential candidate would put her story as a child of immigrants that could appeal to a wider demographic plus she seems a pragmatic sort and seems very in with globalists so no problem there
and her time as Ambassador to the UN has made her very well known internationally.
As for a VP candidate maybe this could better suit the ego of Ron DeSantis more realistically than a presidential run? Otherwise I would look to Governors that succeeded in blue or purple states such as Gelnn Youngkin or Joe Lombardo or even Mike Dewine (he won re-election in Ohio very convincingly and despite his age after all he is that ideal career politician who seems to have held every office possible be it a state rep, state senator, US Rep, US Senator, Attorney General, Lt Gov and now Governor so all that is missing is the White House which would cap off an impressive resume) or Lee Zeldin only if he does get elected NY Governor.
For a Senator as a VP, Marco Rubio or Josh Hawley although the latter is just to imagine that a Haley/Hawley ticket would be quite catchy.
2028 could potentially be the ideal year for that if we have four more years of Biden/Harris and fatigue really kicks in and their popularity plummets big time. Interesting to imagine a contest between to female cadidates of Indian origin?
If there is a big wave this could win over light blue states like the elusive Minnesota and also Virginia, New Mexico and maybe even Colorado and maybe an extra mid-Atlantic or New England state?
Democrat - A bit harder to choose but there has been a lot of buzz about Josh Shapiro after his very convincing Governor election in Pennsylvania some say he has Obama vibes but I need to know more. An ideal running mate Andy Beshear seems the first to come to mind winning a Governor election in a very red state and more so if he wins re-election or Jon Ossoff for an interesting historic "Kosher Ticket" but if he wins re-election in a true battleground state in 2026 that would definitely boost his credentials. Mark Kelly, Steve Bullock and Roy Cooper likewise for similar reasons and moderate status or Amy Klobuchar if you want to pick a female VP.
If there is a big blue wave and anti-GOP backlash year as well as winning the important swing states this could be what flips Texas but also returns to the old days of purple Florida, Ohio and Iowa going Dem and maybe Alaska, Kansas and Montana too in a big year or a third party vote splitter. Still doubt it could flip Kentucky even with Beshear however.
Thoughts?
