Published at 09:31 on 2 August 2024
So, who will it be? Rule No. 1 is that a moderate presidential candidate should select a liberal, and a liberal should select a moderate, so as to round out the ticket. Rounding out also means picking a White man is likely. With that said, here are my thoughts on some of the names being thrown around.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear
A red state governor who has vetoed some of the most noxious right-wing bills passed by his state’s legislature, had those vetoes upheld, and yet maintained his popularity and been reelected despite all that. Definitely a contender. His biggest drawback is that he will not help win his home state; Kentucky leans so strongly towards Trump that all a Beshear nomination is likely to accomplish is cutting into Trump’s margin there somewhat.
North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper
Another governor of a red Southern state. However, he is not going to be VP, so there is no point is discussing him further.
Arizona Senator Mark Kelly
This one is interesting. An ex-astronaut turned swing state senator, whose wife is former representative Gabby Giffords, who suffered a severe brain injury in an assassination attempt. Not only can he win in swing states (and definitely help deliver his home state), he has a very personal message to hammer home about gun control and right-wing domestic terrorism. However, he’s apparently not the best attack dog, his record on labor issues could be stronger, and going big on gun control is likely to alienate rural voters.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro
He’s a swing state governor who is very popular in that state. His biggest Achilles’ heel is that he’s gotten heat from the Left for being excessively pro-Israel. Although some of his positions are more nuanced than the Left echo chamber would suggest (he did not compare all demonstrators critical of Israel to the KKK, just the ones advocating violence) he does definitely have some baggage here. It is generally best to select a VP that broadens one’s base without alienating anyone in one’s existing base, and like it or not Shapiro would fail at achieving this criterion.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz
Speaking of attack dogs who are good at negative campaigning, he’s one of the best, and he combines it with a Midwestern regular guy persona that really undercuts the Republican rhetoric about liberals all being big-city elitists from coastal states. He managed to become Governor in a state that is not always reliably Democratic, and to get a remarkably liberal agenda through a legislature his party barely controlled, all the while maintaining his popularity. However, Minnesota is decidedly more of a blue state than a swing state, and he is a liberal not a moderate. The latter is a Rule No. 1 violation, and I call it Rule No. 1 for a reason.
So, What Is My Guess?
Beshear. He’s been effective at communicating with people outside the Democratic base, is a centrist, and doesn’t have any big negatives to his name. No, he won’t deliver his home state but he is likely to have rhetorical skills useful in helping deliver swing states. Failing that, Kelly as the second most likely choice.
Update
A list of finalists has been leaked, and it contains:
- Andy Beshear
- Pete Buttigieg
- Mark Kelly
- J.B. Pritzker
- Josh Shapiro
- Tim Walz
Pritzker and Buttigieg have not yet been reviewed, so:
- J.B. Pritzker
- The serving Governor of Illinois. His problem is that Illinois is not by any measure a swing state (thank you, Chicago). As such, selecting him would violate Rule No. 1.
- Pete Buttigieg
- The openly gay currently-serving Secretary of Transportation. His problem is that he is a lightweight. Before serving as Secretary of Transportation, he was mayor of South Bend, Indiana. That’s it. Despite that, for some reason he’s long been a darling of the establishment media, getting way more serious attention than his background would warrant. His lack of experience would make him a weak choice.
I still think it is going to be Bashear or possibly Kelly.
