Comprehensive List of Potential VP's for Top 5 Candidates

[GraniteHills]

I think that owes more to Palin's "marketability" than anything. One could argue that was the major reason she was chosen for the ticket in the first place.

Further, she is only at this point a MSM talking head; I seriously doubt she would do well in a national election given the damage she inflicted on herself in 2008. A great many people do not like her, do not respect her, and won't vote for her.

Your question is a fair one. I do believe the GOP has a fervent desire to quell the "libertarianish right" for good; if Obama is re-elected, 2016 is going to be fascinating because I foresee Rand Paul, should he run, being held down as much as his father was.

 

[No Free Beer]

Marco Rubio, U.S. Senator from Florida Not very good on lots of issues, pretty good on others. Helps electability but I don't see it.
Andrew Napolitano, Former New Jersey Superior Court Judge Likely, though I don't like it politically
Jim DeMint, Senator South Carolina Good choice
Rand Paul, Senator Kentucky Shouldn't pick his own son
Tom Davis, Senator South Carolina Too inexperienced, his mentor is more likely
Doug French, President of the Mises Institute Impossible
Michael F. Scheuer, Former CIA Intelligence Officer Not likely; too controversial
Wayne Allyn Root, former VP Nominee for Libertarian Party No experience, not like Paul
Doug Wead, Senior RP2012 Campaign Advisor, Presidential Historian Impossible, no experience
John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods Bad political move
Dennis Kucinich, Congressman (D) Ohio Terrible Congresssman
Peter Schiff, Economist No experience
Gary Johnson, Governor of New Mexico Great choice
William "Fox" Fallon, Retired 4 star Admiral US Navy Picking a military man would be great for Paul
Bruce Fein, Constututional/International Lawyer No experience
Jim Grant, former Barron’s columnist No experience
Andre Marrou, Former Libertarian VP Candidate No experience; too old
Robert Murphy, Austrian Economist No experience; anarchist

(often mentioned but unlikely, given above choices)
Jesse Ventura, Former Govenor of Minnesota Crazy
Jon Stewart, Political Satirist WTH, I am more qualified
Steven Colbert, Political Satirist WTH, I am more qualified
Lew Rockwell, Chairman of the Mises Institute No experience; controversial
John Stossel, Libertarian Investigative Journalist FOX/ABC Great guy but no experience

Demint voted for the PATRIOT Act. No thanks.

 

[trey4sports]

Serious question: Why do you think being picked as the VP nominee and losing would deflate Rand's career? It seems to have worked out fine for Sarah Palin.

exactly. I think the biggest upside of the scenario is that a Romney/Rand loss would then put Rand in the frontrunner position for '16.

 

[No Free Beer]

Lets make this easy:

Ron Paul/Mike Lee '12

And for all of you "we need him in the senate" people...

Ron Paul/Judge '12

Game over.

 

[presence]

Wow... this thread exploded fast... I'll sit back and watch for a while before I make any updates to the OP. Many good points.

presence

 

[No Free Beer]

exactly. I think the biggest upside of the scenario is that a Romney/Rand loss would then put Rand in the frontrunner position for '16.

I completely disagree with you.

Rand being a part of a Romney ticket would be disastrous. Rand needs to separate himself completely from the neocon/establishment GOPers because their stock is falling...AND FAST! By the time it is 2015-2016, the libertarian base will be much stronger within the GOP. A lot of us young people will begin to take over the party. Not to mention, Ron's influence will be much greater. Think about how much more popular Ron is now than he was in 2007-08. Now imagine in 2016.

Rand, if you are reading this...please turn this possible invite down!

I am a huge Rand fan, but if he were to accept a Romney invite, I would seriously begin to question his train of thought.

 

[mosquitobite]

I would say Sanford for Dr Paul as well.

I would put Paul Ryan under Santorum. Paul Ryan is the one who put the Archbishop's Op-Ed up on his blog which made it go viral and gave Santorum the recent bump due to the "war on religion".

 

[GraniteHills]

How about the other "Dr. No" (and medical doctor), Tom Coburn?

 

[Charlie Harris]

Andrew Napolitano would be my choice. Paul/Napolitano 2012 is my dream ticket.

 

[floridasun1983]

Marco Rubio is the most hyped hand picked establishment status quo elitist in modern history.

I don't think Rubio was the establishment's first pick, but he was their backup plan in case Charlie Crist collapsed. I will agree that Rubio's biggest success was convincing the now painfully obvious gullible Tea Party that he was their favorite son.

 

[trey4sports]

I completely disagree with you.

Rand being a part of a Romney ticket would be disastrous. Rand needs to separate himself completely from the neocon/establishment GOPers because their stock is falling...AND FAST! By the time it is 2015-2016, the libertarian base will be much stronger within the GOP. A lot of us young people will begin to take over the party. Not to mention, Ron's influence will be much greater. Think about how much more popular Ron is now than he was in 2007-08. Now imagine in 2016.

Rand, if you are reading this...please turn this possible invite down!

I am a huge Rand fan, but if he were to accept a Romney invite, I would seriously begin to question his train of thought.

those are all pretty good points, but regardless of the year or strength of our base the vast majority of voting republicans and independents don't follow politics very closely and Rand getting the VP nod would be huge exposure and would give him a big leg-up on the gop field in the following primary (assuming the ticket lost in '12). Now, him accepting the vp role would raise some eyebrows and he would have to make his case to us about the effectiveness of doing so, but as far as electability goes I think it's all upside.

 

[No Free Beer]

I don't think Rubio was the establishment's first pick, but he was their backup plan in case Charlie Crist collapsed. I will agree that Rubio's biggest success was convincing the now painfully obvious gullible Tea Party that he was their favorite son.

Crist? Are you crazy?

 

[mosquitobite]

How about the other "Dr. No" (and medical doctor), Tom Coburn?

I've always liked Coburn!
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119820693514244309.html

 

[No Free Beer]

those are all pretty good points, but regardless of the year or strength of our base the vast majority of voting republicans and independents don't follow politics very closely and Rand getting the VP nod would be huge exposure and would give him a big leg-up on the gop field in the following primary (assuming the ticket lost in '12). Now, him accepting the vp role would raise some eyebrows and he would have to make his case to us about the effectiveness of doing so, but as far as electability goes I think it's all upside.

We'll agree to disagree. Like I stated, I see it as a bad move. Almost everything Rand has done up to this point has been flawless, politically speaking.

I don't think Rand will need the exposure of being on a ticket. It will come to him naturally when the party begins to regroup and look for answers. I think the future of the GOP will be between Rand, Rubio, and Ryan. We all know that Rubio represents the neocon side. But, as I said, Ron's influence will be so great, I see the party naturally flocking to Rand. By party, I don't mean the true establishment, I am talking about the people, as a whole.

 

[mosquitobite]

Agree with NFB. Rand=libertarian wing, Rubio=establishment/fauxnewstea partiers, Ryan=social cons/fauxnewstea partiers

If the Republicans don't get it right this election, it'll continue to the next one.

 

[GeorgiaAvenger]

How about the other "Dr. No" (and medical doctor), Tom Coburn?

Good choice. He just released a plan to reform Medicare.

He may not be perfect on all issues but he is not bought. He tries very hard to target crony-capitalism.

 

[digitaldean]

He needs to pick someone who is popular from a swing state. Also he will never pick his son or other 3 running.

 

[GeorgiaAvenger]

He needs to pick someone who is popular from a swing state. Also he will never pick his son or other 3 running.

Ohio possibilities: John Kasich(unpopular), Rob Portman(Bush era but I don't know about him), Jim Jordan(strong fiscally)

Florida possibilities: Rubio(previously discussed), Allen West(I like him, but too different from Ron), Connie Mack(good but he is running for Senate and endorsed Mitt)

 

[libertybrewcity]

Traditionally, a vice presidential pick balances out the presidential nominee geographically and politically. Ron Paul is from Texas so he will want someone from the West or New England. He will want someone more moderate as well. Mitt Romney will want a stronger "conservative", possibly one with Tea Party image. He will also want someone from the Midwest, South, or West. I could see Paul Ryan as being a strong choice for Mitt Romney. I have absolutely no clue who Ron Paul would pick.

It also seems that in recent elections, gender and race has been a major issue. John McCain chose Palin because she was young and female as well as conservative. There is a good chance the Republican VP candidate will be black.

 

[GraniteHills]

He needs to pick someone who is popular from a swing state. Also he will never pick his son or other 3 running.

270towin.com Swing states:
NH
PA
OH
VA
NC
FL
MO
IA
WI
MI
CO
NM
NV