The other night on Twitter, I went back and forth with Dustin Stockton about whom Mitt Romney should select as his VP. Over on Right Wing News, I’ve already written an article that goes 30 picks deep cataloguing the candidates from which Mitt Romney is LIKELY to select his VP. If you were laying odds, there’s probably a 95% chance that Mitt’s selection will come off of that list.
On the other hand, here are the candidates I WOULD LIKE Mitt Romney to select as his VP. These wouldn’t be the top horses to lay your money down on, but they’re the ones I’d feel best about as a Tea Party conservative.
7) Cathy McMorris Rodgers (Congresswoman, Washington): She’s a member of leadership with a solid conservative voting record, personable, and could help Romney connect with female voters. Also, the poll numbers in Washington state look soft enough for Obama that, yes, McMorris could put that state and its 12 electoral votes in play.
6) Allen West (Congressman, Florida): He’s conservative and not afraid to take on the Left, the media, or anybody else if need be. He’s probably a little inexperienced for the job and it’s hard to say how much West would help with bringing the black vote and Florida into Romney’s column, but having a tell-it-like-it-is conservative like West in the White House would be incredible!
5) Marsha Blackburn (Congresswoman, Tennessee): Blackburn is a charismatic, funny, attractive conservative congresswoman from Tennessee who’s in tight with the Tea Party and has racked up 100% ACU ratings in 2004, 2005, 2007, 2009, and 2010. She’s a conservative rock star waiting in the wings for an opportunity.
4) Scott Walker (Governor, Wisconsin): A lot of people talk the talk about governing conservatively. Walker, at great political risk to himself, walked the walk, proved his conservative policies were good for the state, and then beat the unions again in a high profile recall election. He also might be able to turn Wisconsin red, which would be a huge feat. He’s not the most experienced guy around, but having two Washington outsiders taking on two Washington insiders might not be the worst thing in the world.
3) Newt Gingrich (Former Speaker of the House, Georgia): Simply put, despite his many flaws, he was the single most qualified man to be President running in the GOP primaries. Also, as a practical matter, other than Reagan, nobody actually managed to get more conservative legislation passed than Newt. On top of that, he’s a brilliant debater, a ferocious attacker, a big idea guy, could help swing North Carolina and Virginia, and selecting him would help heal some of the wounds left over from the primaries.
2) Pat Toomey (Senator, Pennsylvania): He’s a diehard fiscal conservative who used to run the Club for Growth, he’s popular with the base, and he could help swing Pennsylvania — which is a key state that’s in play this year.
1) Jim DeMint (Senator, South Carolina): There is absolutely nobody in Congress I trust more than Jim DeMint. This is a guy who was slapped around by leadership during the Bush years and not only did he not give in, he created his own PAC and supported Tea Party conservatives across the country. He’s not the most charismatic guy in the world, but he’s smart, has experience in the Senate and would help Romney in Virginia and North Carolina.
FANTASTIC…you’ve got them all nailed down…but why not use a Tea Party conservative, instead of Romney???
When I watched him, he was nervous, flighty, (changed his mind too often), and I definitely, would not have thought about voting for somebody like him….
Glad you’re here to help sort things out…I would’ve voted ‘Bama…
Oh, if you would have listed Gingrich first, I would have closed this tab without seeing what else you had to say. But seeing him listed right after Scott Walker, I can almost support it. As I was reading your reasons for Scott Walker, I was thinking that we realy need him to stay in Wisconsin and finish the job. Gingrich might be good to have as VP as long as nothing happens to Romney. Especially if it really was him that made the Contract with America happen.
I still say Richard Burr’s an excellent choice.
Marsha Blackburn Voted FOR:
Omnibus Appropriations, Special Education, Global AIDS Initiative, Job Training, Unemployment Benefits, Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations, Agriculture Appropriations, FY2004 Foreign Operations Appropriations, U.S.-Singapore Trade, U.S.-Chile Trade, Supplemental Spending for Iraq & Afghanistan, Flood Insurance Reauthorization , Prescription Drug Benefit, Child Nutrition Programs, Surface Transportation, Job Training and Worker Services, Agriculture Appropriations, Foreign Aid, Debt Limit Increase, Fiscal 2005 Omnibus Appropriations, Vocational/Technical Training, Supplemental Appropriations, UN “Reforms.” Patriot Act Reauthorization, CAFTA, Katrina Hurricane-relief Appropriations, Head Start Funding, Line-item Rescission, Oman Trade Agreement, Military Tribunals, Electronic Surveillance, Head Start Funding, COPS Funding, Funding the REAL ID Act (National ID), Foreign Intelligence Surveillance, Thought Crimes “Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act, Peru Free Trade Agreement, Economic Stimulus, Farm Bill (Veto Override), Warrantless Searches, Employee Verification Program, Body Imaging Screening, Patriot Act extension., Supplemental Appropriations, Patriot Act Extension, Debt Deal, South Korea Trade Agreement.
Marsha Blackburn Voted AGAINST:
Ban on UN Contributions, eliminate Millennium Challenge Account, WTO Withdrawal, UN Dues Decrease, Defunding the NAIS, Iran Military Operations defunding Iraq Troop Withdrawal, congress authorization of Iran Military Operations, Withdrawing U.S. Soldiers from Afghanistan, Libya Troop Withdrawal, Libya.
Marsha Blackburn is my Congressman.
See her “blatantly unconstitutional” votes at :F
http://mickeywhite.blogspot.com/2009/09/tn-congressman-marsha-blackburn-votes.html
Mickey
Just three words Re: V. P. pick – Rubio, Rubio, Rubio.
Rubio by his own admission is NOT eligble according to the Constitution. Romney is a good conservative – launched a successful business – Staples, and gives 9% or more to charity. Newt was part of the Reagan Revolution and helped Ron get his agenda passed. So if Marsha is “in tight” with the Tea Party she must have had a revival. The political smarts is its either Cathy with the Female vote or Allen with the Black vote. Anybody voting Bama this round is either a true progressive or otherwise deranged.
I am not sure why people keep voting for MARC RUBIO, according to the CONSTITUTION the man is not an AMERICAN CITIZEN. I am sure glad that someone has mentioned ALLEN WEST, he would be a giant step in the right direction,
BUT I am beginning to think that the American people don’t have the mental capicity to recognize the problems we are facing. SO SAD !!! “NUFFSAID”
I supported Newt in the primary – I agree he is the single, most qualified man in the GOP. I also think Ambassador John Bolton would add the much needed foreign policy experience to Romney’s business experience.
I would pick Allen West for he is NOT afraid to stand up for THIS country and call a LIBERAL a communist – which is what they are and they hide behind the term LIBERAL for a lot of YOUNG people think liberal is cool. If Americans do not WAKE up this country will be living under a communist manifesto
kC- I vote for Allen West.