VP Candidate Speculation

[fernweh]

The Harris Campaign has requested vetting material on 7 individuals “according to a source”

www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/07/23/harris-campaign-vetting-vp-list/74510492007/

The names include:
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and former Congressman Cedric Richmond

[pixy0stix]

(This thread looks weird cause I moved the post out of another thread. Thought it would be an interesting stand alone discussion.)

[StrawberryBlondie]

As a Minnesotan, I would be sad to see Gov. Walz go, but he'd be a great choice.

[Patsy Baloney]

JB!!!

He’s done a lot of great things for Illinois. I would be sad to lose him, but I do feel like he has an eventual “presidential destiny”.

He has helped IL rebuild after a fiscal disaster. He is not shy on social issues and is also a *staunch* supporter of abortion rights.

You know what, hands off my governor. He’s mine 🤣

[stuffandthings]

I thought Whitmer already said no thanks?

She's my top choice for VP.

[chchchia]

I think Josh Shapiro would be a great choice.

[dontlook]

Jul 23, 2024 10:24:29 GMT -5 StrawberryBlondie said:

As a Minnesotan, I would be sad to see Gov. Walz go, but he'd be a great choice.

I’m not sure if he has enough national appeal but I love him!

[StrawberryBlondie]

Jul 23, 2024 10:29:03 GMT -5 dontlook said:

Jul 23, 2024 10:24:29 GMT -5 StrawberryBlondie said:

As a Minnesotan, I would be sad to see Gov. Walz go, but he'd be a great choice.

I’m not sure if he has enough national appeal but I love him!

Yeah, agreed. And he does have some George Floyd-related baggage. But this shows me she's (or her people are) thinking the right way for VP.

[msmerymac]

Oh well, no Mayor Pete.

I think Tim Miller speculated that certain members of the party might feel so-so about her choosing a Jewish running mate due to the war in Israel, which has more than a hint of anti-Semitism (considering non of the people on her short list have dealt with a lot of foreign policy…) but maybe that’s a concern?

[erbear]

I think Shapiro would be a great choice. She needs to win PA and he is moderate enough to pull a lot of non-Democratic voters. Plus unions seem to like him, and he's garnered national attention with the I-95 rebuild.

I'd be sorry to lose him though and I don't want to put PA in a place where we end up with a MAGA governor.

[pixy0stix]

For me, the right person for the job would be someone who has a lot of appeal but wouldn't be missed in their current role. VP's get tucked away out of the limelight, aka what happened to Harris and why people are now saying "she doesn't have a lot of experience!!" So whose career are we going to kill?

[underwaterrhymes]

I would love Pete Buttigieg. Even if she doesn’t pick him for VP, I think he’d make a great Secretary of State. I think he speaks like 7 languages.

I honestly don’t know who on the short list would be best.

[underwaterrhymes]

Jul 23, 2024 10:26:26 GMT -5 Patsy Baloney said:

JB!!!

He’s done a lot of great things for Illinois. I would be sad to lose him, but I do feel like he has an eventual “presidential destiny”.

He has helped IL rebuild after a fiscal disaster. He is not shy on social issues and is also a *staunch* supporter of abortion rights.

You know what, hands off my governor. He’s mine 🤣

I adore him.

[TR]

Jul 23, 2024 10:39:36 GMT -5 underwaterrhymes said:

Jul 23, 2024 10:26:26 GMT -5 Patsy Baloney said:

JB!!!

He’s done a lot of great things for Illinois. I would be sad to lose him, but I do feel like he has an eventual “presidential destiny”.

He has helped IL rebuild after a fiscal disaster. He is not shy on social issues and is also a *staunch* supporter of abortion rights.

You know what, hands off my governor. He’s mine 🤣

I adore him.

And it sets up some fun JB vs JD stuff.

[basilosaurus]

Jul 23, 2024 10:26:29 GMT -5 stuffandthings said:

I thought Whitmer already said no thanks?

She's my top choice for VP.

She did. She's I guess going to be running the campaign.

[eddy]

I think Mark Kelly would be a great fit. Battleground state. Cool job as an astronaut (lol). Well liked and respected. Has a no nonsense aura about him that will make white dudes feel safe. :-)
I hate to have him give up his seat. He seems to be really beloved in Arizona. That is my only hesitation. Otherwise from my list he is my top pick.

[basilosaurus]

I'm surprised not to see Beshear on the short list. Maybe they don't want to take away a D gov in a southern state. If that's their reasoning, I can't argue with it.

[havarti]

Cedric Richmond is the only one I’ve never heard of, who’s he? I think it has to be either Josh Shapiro or Mark Kelly. If I’m getting an aging white guy, I’d like him with a side of astronaut.

[fernweh]

Jul 23, 2024 10:36:58 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

For me, the right person for the job would be someone who has a lot of appeal but wouldn't be missed in their current role. VP's get tucked away out of the limelight, aka what happened to Harris and why people are now saying "she doesn't have a lot of experience!!" So whose career are we going to kill?

Whitmer has reached her term limit as governor and isn’t eligible for reelection- though she does have 2 more years of this term.

However, I said it in another thread and I’ll say it again, I don’t think a 2 woman ticket is the way to go. I would be very happy if she had a cabinet position though.

[fernweh]

I know none of us really know but any thoughts on when we might see a VP pick announced?

[pixy0stix]

Jul 23, 2024 11:10:11 GMT -5 fernweh said:

I know none of us really know but any thoughts on when we might see a VP pick announced?

Sometime before August 7, which is when the virtual role call for delegates will be. They want it finalized so they can get it printed on the OH ballot.

[Pom]

Jul 23, 2024 10:59:38 GMT -5 havarti said:

Cedric Richmond is the only one I’ve never heard of, who’s he? I think it has to be either Josh Shapiro or Mark Kelly. If I’m getting an aging white guy, I’d like him with a side of astronaut.

I think it will be Kelly. He’s not running and with Gaby’s gun activism & experiences, all his border knowledge as an AZ Senator, southern state, military, NASA, etc… white, male, experienced campaigner, money raiser…doesn’t take away a Dem governor.

But what a deeply talented bench to chose from for VP.

Vs. JD Vance. Did you see his latest stump speech? Ooof. Low energy. From the internet: “JD Vance is to Appalachia as Olive Garden is to Italy”. No notes. lol. Ohio also hates him except the MAGAts.

[Velar Fricative]

I think Mark Kelly has the mix we need of name recognition plus unterrible potential consequences for their state. And astronaut + Celebrity Jeopardy! contestant. That’s the kind of reality TV I’d be okay with for higher office.

[basilosaurus]

Jul 23, 2024 11:19:29 GMT -5 Pom said:

Jul 23, 2024 10:59:38 GMT -5 havarti said:

Cedric Richmond is the only one I’ve never heard of, who’s he? I think it has to be either Josh Shapiro or Mark Kelly. If I’m getting an aging white guy, I’d like him with a side of astronaut.

I think it will be Kelly. He’s not running and with Gaby’s gun activism & experiences, all his border knowledge as an AZ Senator, southern state, military, NASA, etc… white, male, experienced campaigner, money raiser…doesn’t take away a Dem governor.

But what a deeply talented bench to chose from for VP.

Vs. JD Vance. Did you see his latest stump speech? Ooof. Low energy. From the internet: “JD Vance is to Appalachia as Olive Garden is to Italy”. No notes. lol. Ohio also hates him except the MAGAts.

Hilarious!

[jene]

Jul 23, 2024 10:24:29 GMT -5 StrawberryBlondie said:

As a Minnesotan, I would be sad to see Gov. Walz go, but he'd be a great choice.

The thought of Gov Peggy Flanagan makes me so excited though!

[noodleoo]

Jul 23, 2024 11:21:34 GMT -5 Velar Fricative said:

I think Mark Kelly has the mix we need of name recognition plus unterrible potential consequences for their state. And astronaut + Celebrity Jeopardy! contestant. That’s the kind of reality TV I’d be okay with for higher office.

OMG I need to stop getting too excited, but the idea of a Black/Indian female presidential candidate supported by an astronaut/aeronautical engineer VP candidate is like all my childhood dreams come true.  

[havarti]

Jul 23, 2024 11:19:29 GMT -5 Pom said:

Jul 23, 2024 10:59:38 GMT -5 havarti said:

Cedric Richmond is the only one I’ve never heard of, who’s he? I think it has to be either Josh Shapiro or Mark Kelly. If I’m getting an aging white guy, I’d like him with a side of astronaut.

I think it will be Kelly. He’s not running and with Gaby’s gun activism & experiences, all his border knowledge as an AZ Senator, southern state, military, NASA, etc… white, male, experienced campaigner, money raiser…doesn’t take away a Dem governor.

But what a deeply talented bench to chose from for VP.

Vs. JD Vance. Did you see his latest stump speech? Ooof. Low energy. From the internet: “JD Vance is to Appalachia as Olive Garden is to Italy”. No notes. lol. Ohio also hates him except the MAGAts.

Mark Kelly is my immediate preference too. But when I think long term about who I want set up for success in 8 years? Then I lean more heavily to the younger more dynamic candidate, Josh Shapiro. So 🤷‍♀️

[somersault72]

Jul 23, 2024 10:49:21 GMT -5 basilosaurus said:

I'm surprised not to see Beshear on the short list. Maybe they don't want to take away a D gov in a southern state. If that's their reasoning, I can't argue with it.

I'm surprised and sad. I've been hearing a lot of buzz about Mark Kelly (and I'm not opposed to him) but I thought that might to be too much "west." But you're right if that is the reasoning, also goodness knows who they'd get to replace him.

[cville]

I'm becoming a Mark Kelly stan.

He can also be represented by the KHive.

He's my pick now. Kamala, if you're reading this thread, please take my thoughts into consideration.

[stuffandthings]

I'm honestly fine with any of them.

Also, I like Buttigieg on paper, but for some reason he annoys me on a deep personal level. In the 2020 primaries, I hated how everyone kept bringing up how *smart* he is, as though that was in contrast to the other candidates. Elizabeth Warren and Kamala Harris and Cory Booker are just as smart as he is! His intelligence is not higher than the others! I dunno, it's an irrational irritation, but it's mine, lol