Not Going to Happen: Several names are going to be bandied that I specifically left off of this list. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) has proven to be too much of an independent when you want a cheerleader on the campaign, and doesn't come from a swing state and doesn't seem to shore up a branch of the electorate that Clinton won't already dominate. Similarly Martin O'Malley, Bernie Sanders, and Jim Webb may all have something going for them, but Clinton can do better and won't need to steal away their delegate votes in a way she would have in 2008 (where, if she had done slightly better, she surely would have had to pick Barack Obama as her VP). I also skipped Govs. John Hickenlooper and Terry McAulliffe despite them both having several traits I was looking for in a Clinton VP (governor, swing state, loyal to the Clintons) because neither have had particularly stand-out tenures as governors, though I wouldn't doubt that at least one will end up on a shortlist for Clinton in the future.
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| Sec. Tom Vilsack (D-IA) |
Pros: Vilsack is from one of the very few swing states (this is critical for Clinton, who already has a pretty robust electoral college advantage, and according to Larry Sabato, may be already at 247 electoral votes with just seven states left for the picking-any advantages she can make in those seven states would be a HUGE bonus for getting to the White House). He also has been a longtime supporter of the Clintons, being a co-chair of the Clinton campaign in 2008 and has experience in Washington now as Secretary of Agriculture.
Cons: He's not what you'd call the most engaging fellow on the campaign trail, and nominating him would mean that there would be two Obama cabinet secretaries on the same ticket. This could be a problem for trying to distance herself from the President, who may or may not be popular in November 2016.
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| Gov. Maggie Hassan (D-NH) |
Pros: Like Vilsack, she's a swing state governor (giving Clinton the missing piece of being a governor and of course a leg-up in another important state, one that also has a lot of congressional prizes if the Democrats win big). She'd be an historic choice (first female Vice President), and has clear ambitions. She has made a lot of waves about wanting to move up in the party and an early endorsement from her would solidify a key primary state (quid pro quo?).
Cons: It looks more likely that Hassan will run for the Senate in 2016, gaining a national profile to go with her tenure as an executive, and as a result could be a candidate down the road. At 57, she'd be young enough to take a stab at the White House in 2020 if Hillary Clinton comes close but fails.
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| Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) |
Pros: Unless Scott Walker finds himself on the ticket, there's a very real chance with Kasich/Portman and Bush/Rubio that the two most important swing states in the country, Florida and Ohio, are going to end up on the Republican ticket. As a result, it's definitely worth exploring the Democratic bench in these two states. While Sen. Bill Nelson is too old in Florida at 72 to be the VP (especially with Clinton already combatting age-related stigmas), Sherrod Brown is only 62 and is a twice-elected statewide official in the Buckeye State. That's not something you dismiss easily.
Cons: I feel like Sherrod Brown if he were from, say, Oregon or Rhode Island wouldn't be anywhere near this list. The senator doesn't have the profile of his fellow senator Rob Portman, and really would just be adding geography to the ticket, a strategy that didn't work with Paul Ryan. Plus, his seat goes red if he wins.
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| Gov. Deval Patrick (D-MA) |
Pros: He's a governor, of course, and one who gives great speech (see the DNC in 2012). Patrick would be a fine cheerleader for Clinton, and could give her great liberal credentials on a number of issues while still giving her a governor's experience on the ticket, as well as helping with African-American voters who won't be as enthused as they were for the first African-American president in 2008.
Cons: Massachusetts adds nothing to Clinton's column (she's already winning there) and Patrick has been pretty clear that he doesn't want to run for office again. He might be a future Attorney General nominee, but he seems to genuinely be done with electoral politics.
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| Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) |
Pros: If Hillary Clinton wants to go for the historical two-female ticket, it's going to be with Amy Klobuchar. The rising star Democrat from the Gopher State has a great profile on crime and women's issues, has a folksy charm that would play well in places like Iowa and Ohio, and is generally underrated on the stump. She's also clearly interested in making the jump-she's made several trips to Iowa and frequently is getting outside her state.
Cons: There is little benefit that we can see so far from having an all-female ticket in terms of turning out actual voters, and she doesn't come with a swing state. It's also a case where Klobuchar recently had a major stumble on the sex-trafficking bill that resulted in her breaking Washington decorum by throwing a staffer under the bus. These are small mistakes, but ones that the Hill definitely noticed.
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| Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO) |
Pros: I skipped John Hickenlooper because he hasn't been able to craft the sort of strong leadership in the executive branch that Clinton is looking for, but I am including Colorado's senior senator. The surprise senator (many thought that it would be someone like Rep. John Salazar or State Speaker Andrew Romanoff when Ken Salazar left the seat vacant) has crafted a pretty impressive national profile, frequently getting mentioned in DC news and not being a quiet backbencher. He's also from one of those seven swing states that Hillary Clinton is after.
Cons: He's up for reelection in 2016, and Clinton will surely want to keep the Senate seat in hopes of having a friendlier Congress and will probably only pick him if she doesn't feel she can win without him, a claim I don't think is true quite yet. Plus, he's got a more moderate profile than almost everyone else on this list, and if she's worried about the base he might not be the best option.
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| Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) |
Pros: The New Jersey senator is one of the few rock stars in the Democratic Party not named Clinton or Obama. He's charismatic, ambitious, handsome, and could help with both African-American voters as well as young voters (this is someone that knows his way around social media, and isn't likely to be an Aaron Schock disguised as an excellent candidate). While he's not a governor, he is a former mayor and can speak toward crime-and-punishment legislation as well as being an outstanding cheerleader.
Cons: There's a risk that he could overshadow Clinton on the campaign trail-he's extremely good in an interview, and could rock the late night circuit in a big way. If Booker is the choice (especially considering that he doesn't come from a swing state) Clinton is probably behind with the GOP and that's a tough spot to be in as loose-cannon (he frequently goes off-script) candidates occasionally turn into Sarah Palins. Plus, his seat goes red if he wins.
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| Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) |
Pros: He seemingly has it all. He's a great cheerleader (former DNC Chair), a former governor, a current senator, and someone who knows his way around Washington. He's also someone who will do everything he can to get Clinton elected and most importantly comes from perhaps the most critical swing state for Hillary on the map: Virginia. The Old Dominion, if she wins it and holds together her blue-state coalition, would likely get her to 260 electoral votes. After that she has to just collect New Hampshire and Nevada and she's the president. And with Terry McAuliffe as governor, this is one of the few swing states where the Senate seat would stay blue if they won.
Cons: He's not the best choice from Virginia in my opinion (he's always been slightly overshadowed by his senior senator) and he was a big enthusiast for President Obama in 2008, and the Clintons have long memories.
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| Sec. Julian Castro (D-TX) |
Pros: I really wanted to put him at number one, but couldn't quite get there because the top candidate is arguably the only candidate in the country that checks every box that a Hillary VP should. However, I do think that Castro would be a really awesome choice. He's young, charismatic, someone who wants this badly, is the future of the Democratic Party, and could help Hillary Clinton with Latino voters, a group that is going to be huge for her as she tries to cement Colorado, Nevada, and Florida into her column (if she holds together her blue-state coalition, winning these three states would win her the presidency...actually just winning Florida would win her the presidency at that point). This is also the San Antonio Mayor's only real shot at making it to the national stage considering he's from Texas, so expect him to go gung-ho for Clinton pretty quickly.
Cons: He's another Obama cabinet member, and there's the risk that he's too green-he's never won statewide in Texas, and hasn't really run a major campaign outside of San Antonio. Plus, while he theoretically could help with Latino voters, we haven't seen that yet for sure, and he doesn't bring a swing state with him.
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| Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) |
Pros: He has it all. Moderate enough profile to help Clinton in states like Ohio and Pennsylvania with blue-collar Democrats, but liberal enough not to alienate the base. He's a former governor, a two-term senator, successful businessman, engaging but not distracting, strong cheerleader, and from the critical swing state of Virginia. If Hillary Clinton were to create a candidate in a factory, it would probably have the same specifications as Mark Warner.
Cons: He's not as charismatic as Castro and probably not the cheerleader that Kaine would be. He's definitely the safe choice-if Clinton is in the lead and just looking to cherry-pick some final electoral votes, Warner is it. If she needs more of an oomph, someone like Cory Booker or Julian Castro would be her candidate.
And there you have it-my thoughts on Clinton's potential running mates. What do you think? Whom do you think should also be on the list? Share in the comments!
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