Friday July 3rd 2020
Who will be President Seaborn’s Running-mate in 2022?
So, this search is unique in that President Seaborn will be looking for both a Vice President and possible successor, as well as a current running mate. Keeping both in mind, the finest political minds at NBS have gotten together to complain this list. Everyone listed below we believe, is either a serious contender and/or will be on the shortlist out of respect for their current office.
We have split the list into five parts, Governors, Senators, members of Congress, current members of the Seaborn administration and others.
Governors
Gov. Jarrod Daniels-Minnesota
To say that President Seaborn and his administration need to make nice with the DFL (Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, the state's Democratic affiliate) would be an understatement. Putting one of their own on the ticket would go a long way to doing that. Also, it would help lock down Minnesota which went twice for President Walken, and only narrowly for the President in 2018. It would also probably give a boost to the President’s poll numbers in Wisconsin and Iowa as well. However he isn’t all that remarkable and would not necessarily be a stellar pick. He's bland, and a bit boring. He is also seeking re-election this year in which looks like a very right race. He also doesn’t have that "elder statesmen" vibe that has allowed past bland nominees such as Leo McGarry, August Adair to be picked.
Gov. Elizabeth Bartlet-New Hampshire
She's a governor that's mostly well-known for being the daughter of a former two-term President. Political handicappers would note that she's got some good characteristics of a potential running mate: female, roughly same age range, from a swing state, but also a few demerits; would cement the perception that there's a "Bartlet clique" in the Democratic leadership and invite attacks on President Seaborn in that it could be spun that the selection would be a slap in the face of moderate Democrats, with her a divorcée, from a small state.
Gov. Kelly Hoffman-New Jersey
Long regarded as a rising star in the Democratic party, the former Mayor of Newark is up for re-election in 2021, and her re-election is by no-means an odds on certain, after all she only won in 2017 against Jack Fowler by a mere 365 votes. If she wins a comfortable re-election she will be on the short-list.
Gov. Bobby Tyler-Virginia
He certainly ticks a lot of boxes, an African-American Governor of Virginia, former Mayor of Richmond and proclaimed “moderate progressive”. Virginia has become a real battleground state in recent years and now trends Democrat, with President Seaborn winning the state for the time for the Democrats in 2018 since LBJ in 1964. Virginia Governors can only serve one term and that ends in January 2022, so he will be available. The downside would be only four years as Governor, and six years as Mayor, means he is clearly lacking in any foreign policy experience.
Gov. Janet Lorton-Vermont
Now in her fourth term, and she could run for a fifth term in 2023, she is a strong campaigner, and has a good record as Governor but is regarded by many as an inferior version of what Governor Bartlet would offer (female, liberal New England Governor).
Gov. Will Diego- New Mexico
A former Congressman who was elected in 2018 after a close fight with his fellow Congressman Henry Riker (he won by only 0.81%) in a state that actually voted for Henry Shallick in the Presidential election. Indeed New Mexico is a battleground state; including 1998 it has gone Republican three times (98, 14, 18) and Democrat three times (02, 06, 10), as we have seen in close elections as the last four Presidential elections have been, even five electoral votes can matter.
Gov. Alan Fisk-Mississippi
President Bartlet’s second AG, and former Congressman. He caused an upset by winning in 2015 and then winning re-election last year. He is certainly to the right of most of the Democratic Party (he has to be to win in the state), but no-one could deny he could step up to the job of President if required, and has proved he can attract Republican voters.
Senators
Sen. Andrew Thorn- New York
A serious contender, and would be a great way to unify the party. But the major problem is he and the President hate each other, even though he was under serious contention for Secretary of State last year, if he was Vice-President it would likely lead to a second term of a contentious relationship between POTUS and the VPOTUS, something the administration would be keen to avoid.
Sen. Louise Thornton- Virginia
As a running mate, she'd be the pit-bull that President Seaborn will need during the general election campaign and as mentioned above with Governor Tyler Virginia is a key battleground state. She could also be that pit-bull as a key surrogate, but it wouldn’t have the same punch. As Vice-President it is not quite sure how well she'd fit into the role.
Sen. Ben Newell-Colorado
Regarded as probably the best safe pick. A former one term Governor as well so he has the governing experience as well as the Senate experience. He is up for re-election in November against Congressman Matthew Garner but he should win. He also has support within the party nationwide following his very credible showing in the 2014 primary campaign (he won Iowa). Basically low risk, low reward.
Sen. Stephen Wilson-Maine
For much of 2013 he was regarded as a front-runner for the Democratic Presidential nomination, then it all went wrong. Despite his experience, he was not a force on the campaign trail, he was just plain boring, his “heir to Bartlett” claims didn’t go down well with many including Liz Bartlett back in 2013. He does of course, tick the boxes on experience, but he showed he wasn’t really up to campaigning and it would hard to see he as a “pit-bull”. He was vetted for Secretary of State with Andrew Thorn before August Adair got the job. He is also fighting for re-election in November, having only narrowly held on six years ago.
Sen. Rudi Robinson-Indiana
During the 2006 election, it was noted by many in the Democratic Party that many black voters resented the fact that a Hispanic was the nominee before a black man. Fast forward sixteen years by 2022 and those sentiments haven't gone away. Many wanted Robinson as Seaborn’s running-mate in 2018, and he was the bookies favourite prior to the shock of the Hollis pick, so this would go a long way to make up for this and it would also make him the clear front runner for 2026. The downside is it that he won’t deliver Indiana (President Bartlet carried it twice but it hasn’t been in play since) and it will be a slap in the face to Thorn supporters who viewed Robinson as playing spoiler in 2018.
Sen. Becky Reeseman-Michigan
It is easy to forget but she has been in Washington for a quarter of a century, first in Congress, and then elected to the Senate in 2012. Michigan Is a battleground state, it has voted Republican five times since the election year change in 1986, and Democrat four times (including 2018 by just 2.10%). She is a strong campaigner, but her being chosen would be a gamble because if the Democrats don't win Michigan's Governorship in 2022, Republican Ben Laurion's successor will appoint a Republican to the seat.
Sen. Alicia DeSantos-Florida
Another strong women candidate and a serious contender, and one with her interesting backstory when she replaced her husband Congressman Daniel, who was killed during the Congressional fact finding mission to Gaza in 2005. After over a decade in the House she successfully unseated incumbent Republican Senator Seth Randall in 2018 by just 0.70%, and this despite Henry Shallick winning the state at the Presidential level by 4.17%.
Sen. Andrew Howard-Washington
From the liberal wing of the Democratic Party, and is certainly beloved by many party activists from that wing. Elected to the Senate in 2010 aged only 32, he would be a good pick if the choice was to be please the liberal wing of the party and set up Howard as President Seaborn’s younger successor in 2026, when he would only be 48. The problem is Howard’s more left wing ideas, such as a “wealth tax” and “the Green New deal” would likely scare away independents and moderate Republicans. He also doesn’t bring anything to the table regards the electoral map.
Congressmen/women
Congresswomen. Josie Bail-Ohio
Many pundits including us, believe that she will be near the top of President Seaborn’s shortlist. She was vetted by Jimmy Fitzsimmons in 2014, and her name was being mentioned strongly in 2018, prior to the Hollis debacle. She's well known and liked in Ohio (even by Republicans), the “swingiest” of “swing states”, her backstory is remarkable. A trained nurse, before working in the Healthcare industry and then elected as Governor of Ohio in 1994 aged only 31 (she was 32 when sworn into Office) but she was narrowly defeated for re-election in 1998, before being elected to Congress in 2000, she also has a good record working with Republicans. Despite her obvious strong points, she does have some weaknesses, her gubernatorial re-election defeat, her loss to Haydn Strauss for the 2010 Senate nomination, and her less than stellar run for the 2014 Presidential nomination. But even when you take the weakness into account, she clearly is still a very strong candidate.
Congresswomen. Carol Gelsey-Florida
The experience level is obvious as a former Speaker of the House. Now a backbencher, but she still does have a loyal following in the party. She was on the short-list for Vice-President twice, widely regarded as second choice after Eric Baker in 2007, and on the shortlist of the final three in 2009 (with Tripplehorn and Tilman). But it should not be forgotten she has plenty of enemies both in the party and an outside as a result as her time as Speaker.
Congressman. Drake Headley-Wisconsin
A moderate, likable Congressman, and one who has been prepared to work with Republicans. Indeed he was liked and respected by President Walken after his dealings over the Walken budgets. He is regarded know as a bit of a “numbers man” and it would be hard to see him in the “attack dog” role as a running-mate.
Members of the Seaborn Administration
Vice-President. Jack Hunter-Minnesota
Yes, it is possible. Yes tensions between him and President Seaborn have become strained over recent weeks, but some in the Democratic party actually want him to be offered the job, because it would put the Republicans in an awful situation, and believe they could work around the abortion issue the same way Arnold Vinick did with Ray Sullivan in 2006 “agree to disagree, and not bring it up on the campaign trail”, and also on many issues there is not actually much disagreement between the two men. It is not likely but many in the Seaborn administration believe he should be considered out of respect for the Vice-President and his office.
Ambassador to the United Nations. Paris Stray-Maine
A former two term Governor of Maine, she was considered as a possible running-mate by the media in 2018 before Hollis. Getting the UN job was down much to her performance in the 2018 primaries, which she performed better than expected before dropping out, and her UN Performances have impressed many. She is known as a fiery campaigner and debater so she would help on that level no end.
Secretary to the Treasury. Meredith Payne-Michigan
Despite the downturn in the economy, she has been regarded as a success of the administration so far, especially her media performances. The former Congresswomen is a women of color, comes from a battleground state and is good performer on TV. Although it will probably be thought that she better serves the administration in a second term carrying on in her job as Treasury Secretary.
White House Chief of Staff. Will Bailey-Oregon
He certainly has the experience having been a Congressman for a decade, and did make a name for himself. His name was being pushed for Jimmy Fitzsimmons running-mate in 2014 by Bob Russell, but nothing came of it in the end. He is certainly a shrewd operator, Oregon is a state which seems to narrowly vote Democrat at the Presidential level, but does currently have a popular Republican Governor and one Republican Senator. Being COS does clearly give you the experience and the contacts to be Vice-President it after all it was the main reason Leo McGarry got the place on the Santos ticket in 2006.
Others
Former Secretary of Education. Lawrence Lessig-Born in South Dakota, resides in Massachusetts
One of the more “out of the box choices” and again after the Hollis debacle, President Seaborn is not that likely to make such a risky choice, but he does have a lot going for him. He is former member of the Cabinet, he is universally respected at home across both major parties, and also oversees where he has helped with the framing of several nations constitutions including Belarus, Palestine, Syria, and of course Qumar. On the domestic side he is a strong advocate for campaign finance reform and reform of the Electoral College. He does however do little to help electorally, and would not be a “campaign attack dog” but if its experience and respect, he does have it in spades.
Former Governor. Kurt Carner-Montana
A moderate Democrat who won twice in a mostly Republican state (Henry Shallick carried that state in 2018 by 20. 02%). He didn’t do as well as was predicted during his Presidential run in 2018, but he clearly raised his profile, and was interviewed for the Post of Secretary of the Interior in December 2018, he seemed to make it clear he was fixed on a Senate run if Robert Starkey declined to seek re-election which he did do. Carner looks like he could win in November, so it seems it he would want to leave the Senate for the Vice-Presidency after such a small time. Montana’s four electoral votes would not be swung even with him on the ticket.
Former Governor. Rachel de Boer-Delaware
Elected twice as Delaware Governor in 2008 and 2012, her first victory coming when she was only 37 years old, she was floated strongly by the Fitzsimmons campaign in June 2014 as his running-mate, but some in his campaign saw her as a major mistake and the named was leaked to the press which caused it to end her hopes of the Vice-Presidency. Since leaving office in 2017, she has kept a low profile and works for a DC law firm.
Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. Nicholas Alexander- Virginia
He publicly resigned after a disagreement with President Santos in 2007, failed in a run for the Republican nomination and then had a very messy third-party campaign attempt in 2010 which failed to make it to Election Day. He's both old (at 74, he'd be the oldest person to become vice president, and become the oldest-ever VP during his term) and do nothing to assure parts of the party that are looking for either a successor or a "safe pair of hands" for the 2023-2027 term in the event should something should happen to the President. Despite this he does have the independent image which could help the claim the centre ground during the general, especially if the Republican’s move to the right. After the Hollis fiasco, it seems unlikely that the President would really want to rock the boat a second time by picking another very risky non-politician as his running mate.
Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. Raymond M. Hegland-New York
Another former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, although a far more recent one, and one with more pluses than Alexander. He is African-American, and served under two Presidents, one Republican and one Democrat. He has the connections having served in the Pentagon during the Bartlet Administration and commanded the US forces in Kazakhstan and was praised by both Democrats and Republicans for his handling of the entire intervention. On the down side no-one is really sure of his politics, and is currently on his fourth Wife which could lead to some nasty surprises from his private life.
(Written and edited by
@Marky Bunny based on contributions and suggestions from
@lord caedus @MountainDew17 and
@disputed)