It’s the “Who Would You Want As VP to Mitt Romney” Poll – 2nd Edition
It’s been three months since we’ve done a speculative VP poll. I find my feelings doing VP polls are the same as last time:
To be honest, speculating and debating about what would be the best combo of President and VP is not really my cup of tea. All I know is that I want Romney on top of the ticket, and his VP pick would be his choice. BUT… since Pres./VP combos seems to be the greatest topic of discussion and interest on our Facebook posts I’ve decided to throw this poll out there to give our readers some meat to chew on. Even so, I will still be interested to see the results.
Sarah Palin was the top pick last time by a very small margin. Let’s see who comes out on top this time.
If Romney were selected as the GOP nominee in 2012, who would be your first pick for the VP slot?
- Michele Bachmann (4%, 25 Votes)
- Haley Barbour (2%, 11 Votes)
- John Boehner (1%, 6 Votes)
- Scott Brown (2%, 11 Votes)
- Herman Cain (1%, 6 Votes)
- Eric Cantor (2%, 11 Votes)
- Chris Christie (11%, 62 Votes)
- Mitch Daniels (2%, 12 Votes)
- Jim DeMint (7%, 38 Votes)
- Newt Gingrich (7%, 38 Votes)
- Rudy Giuliani (2%, 13 Votes)
- Mike Huckabee (3%, 16 Votes)
- Bobby Jindal (12%, 66 Votes)
- Bob McDonnell (1%, 3 Votes)
- Sarah Palin (9%, 50 Votes)
- Tim Pawlenty (3%, 16 Votes)
- Mike Pence (2%, 10 Votes)
- David Petraeus (5%, 28 Votes)
- Condi Rice (5%, 30 Votes)
- Marco Rubio (2%, 10 Votes)
- Paul Ryan (8%, 42 Votes)
- Rick Santorum (2%, 9 Votes)
- Allen West (2%, 9 Votes)
- Other (3%, 18 Votes)
- Jan Brewer (1%, 7 Votes)
- John Thune (1%, 12 Votes)
Total Voters: 558
Loading ...Note: I left Dr. Paul off intentionally to avoid having the poll overrun. This is meant to be a poll of who Romney supporters would want as VP. If you really want Ron Paul as VP please vote other and indicate in the comments.
~Nate Gunderson
Update: Added Jan Brewer and John Thune. Two obvious picks. Sorry.
Email This Post
View Printer-Friendly Version
I can’t believe you didn’t include Governor Brewer in the poll.
Why is Senator John Thune’s name not mentioned on here?
Ron Paul for sure
Added: John Thune and Jan Brewer. Oversite; sorry. It’s hard to think of them all.
I love everything Palin stands for. But, she will lose the election if she is on the ticket. Palin will not be a good choice. Utah Governor Gary Herbert, or AZ governor Jan Brewer are my picks.
I love Sarah Palin also and what she stands for. BUTTTTT, she’s a screamer like Hilliary Clinton to get her points across and I think that turns people off. So my choice would be Utah Governor Gary Herbert.
What about New Jersey Governor Chris Christie?
I would like to see either Mitch Daniels, Mike Pence or General Petraeus. NOT PALIN!!! Put her in the cabinet.
@Jared A.
He’s currently at #2 right now Jared. He’s also the one I voted for. Three cheers for the Axe Man.
I voted Christie! ….such a stud! (and he represents for the us, the chubby minority)
I gotta go with Palin, even though it’s still too early to tell if a Hail Mary pass is needed. Say the economy recovers somewhat, unemployment falls to below 8%, and Obama’s poll numbers rise; some of the independents return to Obama, you need a HMP–she would neutralize Romney’s negatives with the base (HEALTHCARE, for one). If the economy doesn’t recovery, and I suspect it will not, someone less polarizing is needed, and in that case, I vote for a Chris Christie or a Meg Whitman (not on the list).
Huckabee is listed? Guess the margin of moron for this poll is 4%.
It must be repeated: if you want to see a President Palin, the only way it’s going to happen is for her to take a prominent, national position. Along the lines of my previous comment re Hail Mary Passes, VP+Secretary of Energy if the economy recovers; Secretary of Energy if it does, and someone else is VP.
It also needs to be said. GOV. ROMNEY, YOU NEED TO UN-SCARE A LOT OF PEOPLE ON THE HEALTHCARE FRONT. A LOT OF US ARE FOR YOU “BUT FOR” THAT.
Any one except Sarah Palin…
She does not have the class needed for the runner up position.. can’t buy it and cannot pretend to !!
The others are all foriegn to me with a few exceptions…
But Mitt Romney will have the ability to choose a very qualified person for htis important position..
I might suggest Congressman Mike Rogers…
There’s an erroneous “does” in my previous comment; sorry, I mean’t “…doesn’t, and someone else is VP.”
Governor Brewer has already taken a strong national position. Aside from Romney, Palin, and a couple of other non-officeholders, she’s the biggest foil of the Obama administration, and is as beloved by the base as any other current officeholder. She’d be perfect, in my opinion.
@Stephen Monteith
I agree she is up there in people I admire these days. I guess you need to ask how large the set of people is who would vote for Romney with her that would not vote for him without her.
As far as Palin, I still worry that there may be some that would vote for Mitt without her, who wouldn’t with her… It may be offset by the massive enthusiasm among social conservatives that she would bring to the ticket. Or it might not matter either way because Obama is just that much of a disaster. I just don’t know yet…
I picked Bobby Jindal though. A really solid choice all around. Not nearly as polarizing, generally well liked among any brand of conservative or conservative-leaning independent. Maybe still a little inexperienced on the national scene, but competent and would work well as a VP. Romney in 2012; Jindal in 2020.
Brian Roastbeef, yes, you understand the dynamic perfectly. What we know is that Palin is “less demonized” today than 1 year ago; I’m assuming that continues, and yet her popularity stays the same or increases still.
LOL. There was a bit of noise over the last few days at C4P and elsewhere over SP reaching to 2M Facebook followers mark. That’s impressive. But none of the banter raised the question: how many of that 2M actually detest her?
Alan West .. you need a military guy in there and a fresh face. Need to play up that “outsider” mojo. He’ll secure Florida, military vote and blunt charges of racism. Bottom line: the Demcrat campaign tactic will be: You guys are RACISTS. Need to meet this head on.
This will be no other issue.
Not a bad choice, and good reasoning, but isn’t he just now running for the House? Kind of green, even for VP.
Chris Christie has shown himself to be a good fiscal conservative. I’d take him, even though he suggested that he couldn’t be anyone’s number two. I doubt he’d want to be VP.
And by the way …. NOT Sarah Palin. We’ve already seen how good of a VP candidate she can be. Didn’t we learn our lesson already? I just want to smack people upside the head who think Palin’s a serious candidate for POTUS.
Mitt Romney/Condoleezza Rice 2012!
It’s the most logical choice! Think about it, Mitt needs someone with foreign policy experience to cover his lack of experience in that area. There’s also the race card (although I don’t like playing race card).
Two points. I think the days are fully over where a VP needed to be an understudy, doing nothing until, G-d forbid, something happens to the President. I’ve suggested that Sarah Palin be, if the stars align, in a certain way, VP and Secretary of Energy; that’s possible because the President’s Cabinet is not a traditional, not Constitutionally-created thing. There’s no reason why a VP needs to be an understudy.
The other thing is that if you’re not intending to play the “race card,” then you’re not playing the race card…
Romney / DeMint in 2012!
Hi,
Hi, I think the problem with that list is that I would be happy with several of them. Just so Mitt gets President. I am sure he would be able to decide and pick the best one for the job. He would really give it a lot of thought along with prayer.
I’m Mormon and I believe the First Presidency when they instructed us:
“The First Presidency acknowledge that wisdom when they gave us the guideline a few years ago of supporting political candidates ‘who are truly dedicated to the Constitution in the tradition of our Founding Fathers.’ (Deseret News, November 2, 1964.)”
I’m sorry, but only Ron Paul does. The Founding Fathers wouldn’t put up with a welfare, interventionist state, that controls the money supply. And Romney not only puts up with it, but supports it.
As much as I like Hebert, 2 LDS men with good backgrounds won’t fly with the electorate. I agree that Palin will doom the ticket. Demint right now, is best. favor Jeb, but he won’t do it.
@iamse7en
I’m Mormon too, and your logic just doesn’t fly with me. What’s even worse is that you use religion to say why you are for a certain candidate, as if all others who disagree are wrong, and they are somehow not in line with the First Presidency. I say baloney.
Rick Santorum, Paul Ryan, Condi Rice in that order
Utah Governor Gary Herbert.
@Nate Gunderson
My logic is pretty sound – we should support political candidates who are truly dedicated to the Constitution in the tradition of our Founding Fathers. Who better fits that qualification? Ron Paul or Mitt Romney?
Mormons need to wake up. It took me awhile, but I did as well.
@iamse7en
Why is it that Ron Paulers always act like they’ve come into the light – like they’ve risen to a higher plain of thinking? When will we all see things their (his) way?
Listen, the guy has great ideas and some sound principles. I respect him a lot. His foreign policy and global trade proposals are disastrous.
Now, to say that you are adhering tighter to the counsel of Church leaders by supporting Dr. Paul over Mitt is very presumptuous, and rather offensive. Get over yourself, brother.
@iamse7en And you’re kidding yourself if you think he’ll run again in 2012.
I like Jim DeMint, Rick Santorum & Paul Ryan … my only question would be: “Can DeMint or Ryan be easily replaced in their current elected office?” That’s why I voted for Santorum .. to be honest, though, I’ll be happy with whomever Mitt picks .. I feel we can trust his judgement.
@Crystalf
.. oops .. forgot to mention Mike Pence, another of my favorites
I’d say Palin. If Romney’s the nominee, he’ll lose in a landslide without someone on the ticket to fire up the base. The folks at this site can denigrate Palin all they want, but the GOP’s voting base loves her. Unfortunately for the Romney hot-stove-leaguers, she won’t be running as scapegoat VP candidate for any more moderate lost causes anytime soon. And there’s really no one else out there who can fulfill the same function. So, it doesn’t matter.
Phrne. Yeup. that worked for President McCain. IMO, I want someone second chair who needs no training, and who can keep the potty mouth in the bathroom.
A Romney/Palin ticket is unstopable.
@Chris
Riiiiight. Let’s not think about the fact that the problem with 2008 might have been the TOP of the ticket.
Will never happen. Besides, any other conservative potential VP candidate would be a fool to set themselves up as the next scapegoat. I want to see two “more or less moderate” candidates at the top AND bottom of the ticket anyway, to put these “electability” theories to the test once and for all.
I voted General Patreus but how about Mike Leavitt or Jon Huntsman. Both govenors before and both with a lot of experience. Both have important leadership abilities and qualities that can be useful in that position. I like Palin but she would be more helpful in rallying for the Republican cause by being the chairperson of the RNC. We need Rice back as secretary of state, intellegence and experience is what is needed there.
it’s gotta be Governor Jindal. He’s got the crisis management down, he’s a rhodes scholar, plenty of experience in the public policy, and his parents are immigrants from india. Whats not to love? Romney-Jindal 2012 ftw
I like Jindal, too. I think he got some nice national (and international) coverage during the oil crisis. Having said that, however, I don’t know enough about the other people being talked about, with the exception of Palin. And with her recent foray into unreality-reality tv (read camp-out) I am once again convinced that she is perhaps the most dangerous vp potential out there among those Romney might consider.