One of the most important decisions a presidential candidate has to make is picking a running mate. It can either inject a well-needed jolt of energy into a campaign, or be the iceberg that sinks the ship (I'm forever sorry, John McCain). Now that we have the presumptive nominees for the two major parties, it's time to play America's favorite game...

VEEPSTAKES

We'll start with the Republicans. Donald Trump has won a historic victory this year, getting more primary votes than any other Republican in history. Picking a VP is vital for Trump, considering he has had many issues with uniting the party behind him. A lot of GOP leaders have not endorsed him yet, and others have only done so reluctantly. A solid running mate could help ease concerns that Republicans have and possibly help his unfavorable ratings, which hit a staggering 70% last week. His biggest problem will be finding someone who actually wants to do it, as many prominent GOP figures have taken their name out of consideration.

Here are three options for Donald Trump.

Name: Newt Gingrich

Who is he? He's a former United States Representative from Georgia, serving as House Minority Whip from 1989 to 1995. Gingrich was the Speaker of the House from 1995 to 1999, and ran a notable campaign for president in 2012.

Why pick him? Gingrich could help Trump lure some resistant Republicans to his cause, considering he's one of the most respected figures in the GOP. Trump has also stated that he wants to pick someone with political experience, which Gingrich has.

Why not? Newt isn't known to be a particularly even-tempered man, with former congressman Adam Putnam calling him "erratic" and Mitt Romney saying he's "zany." Trump needs to pick someone who is calm and collected, and Gingrich is seen as neither of those things.

Name: Mary Fallin

Who is she? Fallin served in the Oklahoma House of Representatives for two terms, and the Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma for three. She went on to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives and is currently the Governor of Oklahoma.

Why pick her? Well...she's a woman. Trump needs all the help he can get with women. She comes from the Midwest, which could help drum up support from evangelicals, and she has served in many different areas of government.

Why not? I can't think of a good reason as to why Trump shouldn't pick her other than she's not that well known, which isn't a huge problem. Fallin did recently veto a bill that would have made performing an abortion a felony, which could concern some pro-life voters.

Name: Jeff Sessions

Who is he? Sessions is the former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Alabama, Attorney General of Alabama, and the current junior senator from Alabama.

Why pick him? He was the first Republican senator to endorse Trump, and has been a strong supporter ever since. Sessions is a conservative and has almost a lifetime of experience in politics.

Why not? Sessions is a pretty boring pick. He's a old, white man and it may not stir up much support beyond what Trump already has. He also was ranked the fifth most conservative senator in Congress by the National Journal, and may not be much help in bringing moderates into the fold.

Other Less Likely Possibilities:

Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey

Governor John Kasich of Ohio

Senator Bob Corker of Tennessee

Governor Nikki Haley of South Carolina

Doctor Ben Carson of Neuroscience

Senator Ted Cruz of Texas

Facebook Personality Sarah Palin, of intelligent Republicans' waking nightmares

Governor Mike Pence of Indiana

Let's move on to the Democrats. Who to pick as a running mate has likely been on Hillary Clinton's mind since the day she was born. This election cycle, Clinton is faing several The choice she makes is very important to her campaign, considering she is facing several obstacles this election cycle. While her favorable ratings are better than Trump's, many Americans still have a pretty negative view of her. She needs to appeal to Independent voters, while uniting the Democratic Party (particularly Bernie Sanders supporters) behind her. It feels like doing both will be an impossible task, so she'll need to weigh her options and make the tough choice.

Here are three options for Hillary Clinton.

Name: Tim Kaine

Who is he? Kaine is a Harvard Law School graduate, who served as Lieutenant Governor of Virginia from 2002 to 2006, and as Governor of Virginia from 2006 to 2010. He is currently the junior United States Senator from Virginia.

Why pick him? He's a really solid choice for Clinton. He has plenty of experience, and could help Hillary Clinton appeal to moderates and southern states. He's a very safe choice, well-known in the Democratic party, and was even close to being Barack Obama's pick in 2008.

Why not? While some say safe and dependable, others say bland and predictable. Kaine represents the "business-as-usual" model for VP picks; an old, white man from an important state. While he may help Clinton win over moderates, I doubt he'll do much to sway Bernie supporters.

Name: Julian Castro

Who is he? Castro was elected to the San Antonio City Council in 2001, and went on to be the Mayor of San Antonio. He gained national attention in 2012, when he became the first Hispanic to deliver the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention. He is currently the United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.

Why pick him? Aside from the fact that he is an intelligent, respected, and popular figure, picking Castro would be a powerful statement in an election against Trump, a man who has been insulting Hispanics since the first day of his campaign. In 2012, Barack Obama won 71% of the Latino vote, and a Clinton-Castro ticket against Trump could motivate Latinos to turn out in a record amount. It's completely possible that Castro could help give Clinton a sporting chance to win Texas. In fact, as I write this, I'm becoming more and more convinced that Castro is who she'll pick. It's a really good choice.

Why not? Considering Trump's comments, Clinton could rule that she doesn't need much help with the Latino vote. She is going to win that demographic, without a doubt, and may not feel Castro would be of much use. And, while he has an impressive resume, Castro could be seen as inexperienced by some.

Name: Elizabeth Warren

Who is she? Warren is a former law professor at Harvard Law School, and became one of the most highly cited law professors in the United States. In 1995, Warren became an advisor to the National Bankruptcy Review Commission, and went on to become a member of the FDIC Advisory Committee on Economic Inclusion from 2006 to 2010. She is a former Vice President of the American Law Institute, a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the former chair of the Congressional Oversight Panel. In 2012, she ran to be the United States Senator from Massachusetts, and defeated incumbent Scott Brown.

Why pick her? Warren is insanely popular within the Democratic Party, particularly among the progressive wing. She could really help to bridge the divide between Clinton and Bernie Sanders supporters. Warren has also proven herself to be extremely effective against Donald Trump. She has attacked him many times, and he hasn't really figured out how to form a potent rebuttal.

Why not? Warren would be a bold choice, which the Clinton machine isn't necessarily known for. As much as it shouldn't matter, having two women on a ticket may turn off your sexist great-uncle. Also, Warren likely wouldn't do much to help Clinton persuade moderates to vote for her. She's from Massachusetts, which Clinton will have no problem winning, and the Democrats may also prefer to keep Warren in the Senate.

Other Less Likely Possibilities:

Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey

United States Secretary of Labor Tom Perez

Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont

Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio

Representative Xavier Beccera of California

Governor John Hickenlooper of Colorado

Senator Al Franken of Minnesota

Senator Claire McCaskill of Missouri

With both of the National Conventions about to take over the airwaves in the coming weeks, expect to see many big announcements from the campaigns. I wouldn't be surprised at all if we know who one of the VP picks is within the next two weeks. While the role of Vice President is one that doesn't come with much power, it is important to remember something. If, God forbid, something were to happen to the President of the United States, we have to be able to trust that the VP could take the reigns and run the country.