| Runners Up
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Pros
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Cons
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| Bob McDonnell
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Conservative with a good military record ... and low-key just as good V.P. should be, to make the presidential candidate look better. He would bring Virginia to the Republican column for the election, obviating the need for the campaign to run TV ads in the costly D.C. media market; likely to attract Irish voters to the ticket.
|
Liberals try, often unsuccessfully, to claim he is somehow anti-women
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| Rob Portman
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With the election probably decided in the swing state of Ohio, as it was in 2004, picking someone from Ohio might help.
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Might not be conservative enough, too much of an establishment type, and does not bring a voting bloc to the ticket.
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| Kelly Ayotte
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Helps with women, intelligent
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Moderate record from Northeast
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| Chris Christie
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His blunt, unscripted style would make anyone at the top of the ticket look presidential.
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As "Romney-lite", he would add little to a Romney ticket.
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| Marco Rubio
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Romney probably appreciates how Rubio endorsed him and had harsh words about Gingrich ads during the Florida primary; Fox News Channel promotes Rubio heavily.
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Rubio has accomplished little in the Senate and polls suggest that (unlike Jeb Bush) Rubio would not attract Latino voters to a Romney ticket.
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| Allen West
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Would energize the conservative base, while also taking the race issue off the table and helping the ticket carry must-win Florida.
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Speaks his mind, which is refreshing but could upstage the top of the ticket.
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| Condoleezza Rice
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Foreign policy experience, popular and can help with women and minorities
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Pro-choice, never held elected office, heavily linked to unpopular Bush administration
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| Haley Barbour
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Would help bring the South on board for a Romney ticket.
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May not want the job.
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| Mike Huckabee
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Would help bring evangelicals on board for a Romney ticket.
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Has been out of politics for a while, and his record as governor does not shine with the test of time.
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| Newt Gingrich
|
Would appeal to conservatives and as a southerner, would balance the ticket as Romney is a northerner.
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Heated primary season would be used against the ticket
|
| Rick Santorum
|
Some conservatives still support him.
|
Endorsed RINO Jon Bruning for U.S. Senate, who then lost; Santorum's abrupt exit from the race and subsequent endorsement of Romney left some conservatives wondering why he was even running.
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| Rick Perry
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Substantive executive experience passing conservative and pro-life legislation
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Most likely content in the position he's in now as Governor of Texas, admits he's not the showiest debater
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| Rand Paul
|
Would bring the Ron Paul supporters on board.
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| Michele Bachmann
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Would appeal to conservatives and put liberals in an awkward position when they say the ticket is engaging in a "war on women"
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| Tim Pawlenty
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Gets along well with Romney, natural on stump with him
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Not exciting at all, fades into background
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| Jim DeMint
|
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| Ken Cuccinelli
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| Bobby Jindal
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| Mitch Daniels
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| Jan Brewer
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Would keep a strong ticket against illegal aliens and helps with women
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Would mobilize Hispanic activists against ticket in full force, the media and Democrats would not stop talking about how the ticket's "anti-immigrant" so she's probably content doing job as Governor
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From Conservapedia - Reading time: 3 min
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