With the RNC and the DNC both about a month away, the next big question is about to be answered. That question of course is who will Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton select as running mates? Clearly both Trump and Clinton enter the General Election with high hurdles to overcome. Trump should pick someone who is strong where he is weak. The ideal candidate for him would probably be a person with political experience of some sort, as well as someone who can be seen as strong on foreign policy. This could help him earn credibility with the party establishment who haven't yet embraced him. But he doesn't want to damage his outsider brand which helped carry him this far. Clinton wants to pick someone who can energize the base and win over the large portion of Sanders voters who haven't yet embraced her as the party's standard bearer. But finding someone who will excite part of the electorate who doesn't turn off another part is a difficult task. With that, here are some people who could be asked to complete the ticket for their respective parties.
The Front Runners
Newt Gingrich:
Speaker of the House (1995-1999), House Minority Whip (1989-1995), U.S. House of Representatives Georgia's sixth Congressional District (1979-1999).
Newt Gingrich is perhaps the furthest thing from an outsider. His long career in the House of Representatives is perhaps best remembered for his time as Speaker of the House and as the chief architect of the Contract with America. Being extremely policy driven, adding Gingrich to the ticket might help ease concerns for establishment Republicans. But he's a known entity. Trump has built his campaign around being an outsider and the fact that he is a not a politician. But Gingrich has the policy acumen, the respect, and the savvy to help Trump. And best for Gingrich, he is more or less done with his political life. At a time when other Republicans are walking or running away from Trump, Gingrich is someone who can commit without the fear of repercussions. However he is older than Trump and should they win they will be the oldest President and Vice President in history. But if he is able to turn Trump's message into a Contract with America 2.0 with positions and plans to achieve those positions, one would think it would only help Trump.
Tim Kaine:
U.S. Senator from Virginia (2013-Present), Chair of the Democratic National Committee (2009-2011), Governor of Virginia (2006-2010).
Tim Kaine has recently rocketed to the top of many lists as the strongest potential running mate for Hillary Clinton. Part of the reason is that Vice Presidential candidates have more or less stopped being about superficial aspects. Historically people assume running mates are selected to deliver their states as was the case for Lyndon Johnson. However, in recent history that hasn't mattered. Paul Ryan didn't deliver Wisconsin and John Edwards didn't deliver North Carolina. Now it seems like the number one reason to pick someone is for their ability to govern and whether or not they could fulfill the role of president if they were called to do so. Kaine certainly fits that bill. He was extensive political experience both as an executive and a legislator meaning he could function as an effective surrogate for Clinton in the Senate while also being a strong potential President if God forbid he was forced into the role. With Virginia also being home to many military bases and personnel and his placement on the Senate Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on Foreign Relations, he could help solidify Clinton as the national security candidate. He was also an early backer of Clinton. However that fact alone could cause many Sanders supporters to stay home since they would lack any excitement about the ticket. However the largely respected Kaine could also deliver to Clinton a number of establishment Republicans who feel disenfranchised from the Republican Party and Trump.
Also on the Shortlist
Chris Christie:
Governor of New Jersey (2010-Present), U.S. District Attorney (2002-2008)
It is very possible Trump would not be where he is today without Chris Christie. Had the establishment wing of the party coalesced behind a single candidate from the beginning, it is likely that person could have won the nomination. After Iowa, the odds on bet was Marco Rubio. But then Christie had one of those rare moments in a debate that may have altered the outcome of the race, if not for himself, then for Rubio. The end result was the establishment couldn't pick a horse until it was too late. Mirroring Trump's brash style, Christie has built a reputation as a tough talking governor with a special focus on national security. In a rare switch when voters feel the Democrat, not the Republican, is the stronger candidate on national security, adding Christie could help flip that to again favor the GOP. However his flaws are many. His bridge scandal has not entirely gone away, his state's budget is in shambles, he has record disapproval rates at home, and he burned a number of establishment bridges with his Trump endorsement. But the persona Trump built suggests he may not want those bridges to begin with. And if he does not care about the establishment at all, then perhaps Christie who is strong on national security, an area where Trump is weak, is the way to go.
Scott Brown:
U.S. Senator from Massachusetts (2010-2013)
Rising to national prominence after his win in deep blue Massachusetts to replace the late Ted Kennedy, Scott Brown has just enough political experience without being considered part of the system. With some experience on foreign policy and fiscal issues, he could be a good balance to Trump. And, while still in his 50s, he doesn't raise the age related questions that Gingrich would have to answer. However, social conservatives have been hesitant to warm up to Trump. And adding Brown would not ease there concerns. Pro-choice and more supportive of LGBT rights than most Republicans, Brown might cause those social conservatives to stay home. However, adding a more moderate person to the ticket might help Trump win over some Sanders voters who have no interest in backing Clinton. Further, he was an early endorser of Trump even before his New Hampshire win. However, one of Trump's loudest critics has been Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren. Adding the man she ousted for her current job would only sharpen her attacks. Add to that his loss to New Hampshire Senator Jeanne Shaheen in 2014 and one begins to think he is a one hit wonder.
Elizabeth Warren:
U.S. Senator from Massachusetts (2013-Present)
Before everyone knew Bernie Sanders, there was Elizabeth Warren. The Massachusetts Senator has emerged as one of the biggest critics of Donald Trump. Her stance and rhetoric on issues that animated the Sanders campaign such as student loans, Wall Street reform, the Trans Pacific Partnership and health care made her a darling of the left and selecting her as a running mate would go a long way to winning over disgruntled Sanders supporters. In addition, she could also lay claim to the outsider status that Senator Sanders cultivated in his presidential run with her election to the Senate being her first foray in elective office. However she has only been in the Senate for three years, and Clinton has staked so much on her experience. Perhaps selecting a person with a little more time in office would be ideal. Still, selecting Warren would add a jolt of excitement to the ticket and help attract the base that sided with Sanders in the primary.
Martin O'Malley:
Governor of Maryland (2007-2015)
In any other election cycle, Martin O'Malley would have been a top tier candidate. Unfortunately he ran in a cycle when coverage of Trump and Clinton drowned out every other candidate. Despite a poor showing in the 2016 election, O'Malley has built an impressive resume that would please any Democrat. He signed a version of the DREAM Act for the state of Maryland, repealed the death penalty, signed a gun control measure, and was instrumental in the effort to make Maryland one the first states (along with Maine) to legalize same-sex marriage by a referendum. One strike on his liberal credentials was his support for fracking in 2014. However he also passed a tax aimed at cleaning the Chesapeake and other water systems in the state from runoff pollution. He however did leave office with approval ratings hovering around the low 40s. However if Clinton was looking for a liberal candidate with strong credentials and a bit more experience than Warren, O'Malley would be a wise choice.
On The List But Unlikely Picks
Jan Brewer:
Governor of Arizona (2009-2015)
If one were to agree with recent polls that show Trump polling behind Clinton with white women, a demographic Romney and McCain won, adding Jan Brewer to the ticket couldn't hurt. And unlike other Republican lawmakers, she endorsed and actually embraces Trump as the party nominee. Beyond that, she signed the controversial S.B. 1070 bill into law. Selecting Brewer would allow Trump to double down on his immigration position which seems to have animated his supporters more than anything. Further, as Trump argues that he is better for the LGBT community than Clinton is, adding a Republican who vetoed S.B. 1062 which would allow businesses to deny services to LGBT individuals would allow him to continue with that narrative. The down side is, like Gingrich, she is older than Trump. And beyond a few high profile bills, she did not do a particularly stellar job in Arizona. Though her approval ratings as governor were significantly higher than what Christie's are now.
Al Franken:
U.S. Senator from Minnesota (2009-Present)
While the former Saturday Night Live writer would seem like an odd choice, he could be an excellent pick. The first and most obvious reason is that he is a staunch liberal who railed against the Wall Street Banks in his re-election bid in 2014. In addition he supports allowing people to refinance on student loans and wants to close tax loopholes. All that together makes him a combination of both Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren. That should help endear Bernie Bro's to Clinton and unite the party. Further, he is a comedienne who's wit could go toe to toe with Trump's unpredictability. But Clinton has staked a large portion of her campaign explaining that she has real solutions and not hot air. Though Franken, while being a personality, is policy and solution driven which would allow Clinton to continue her contrast with Trump.
Not On Any Shortlist But Would Be Interesting Choices
David Brat:
U.S. House of Representatives Virginia's 7th Congressional District (2014-Present)
Someone that nobody is talking about as a potential Trump running mate is perhaps one who could compliment Trump's outsider status the best. In a year when the Tea Party was lacking any high profile primary wins, David Brat delivered with a shocking upset defeating then Majority Leader Eric Cantor in the Republican Primary. Boosted with an endorsement from conservative commentator Ann Coulter, Brat seems like just the right person to help win over some Sanders voters. While he is vehemently conservative on social issues like abortion and gay marriage, he strikes a more Libertarian tone on the NSA surveillance program and railing against the TARP bill for helping big businesses far more than small businesses. The ultimate outsider unfortunately brings with him the fact that he is the ultimate outsider. Before his stunning upset in 2014, he was a college professor at Randolph-Macon College in Virginia. He is also untested on a national stage. So it is more likely than not that in an effort to avoid another Palin level mishap, that Trump passes over Brat.
Tulsi Gabbard:
U.S. House of Representatives Hawaii's 2nd Congressional District (2013-Present)
As far as I am aware, Tulsi Gabbard is not on any VP shortlist that I have seen. But she would be an interesting selection by Clinton. She became one of the first two female combat veterans elected to Congress in 2012 (the other being Illinois Representative Tammy Duckworth). She has emerged as a strong voice on issues important to liberal voters such as the environment, war, and social issues. A positive and a negative would be that she has been critical of the Obama administration for refusing to use the term "radical Islam". This goes against much of what Clinton has been saying in recent weeks. However if Gabbard was her running mate, it would allow Clinton to both speak with an inclusive tone and also be perceived as taking a hard line stance. The biggest strikes against her however would be her age, she's 35, and the fact that she endorsed Bernie Sanders in the primary. Typically that wouldn't be a problem, but as a Sanders surrogate she was critical of much of Clinton's record, especially her foreign policy record, which could then be used by the Trump campaign in attack ads. Also, a lesser issue, would be that she is Hindu. While it shouldn't be an issue, it undoubtedly will be for some. Still her support of Sanders and her call to end super delegates might excite many Sanders supporters.