Florida Senator Marco Rubio with 24 votes.
In second place was Florida Congressman Allen West with 19 votes.
Third was Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell with 10 votes.
Then, Former Ambassador John Bolton and Former Secretary of State Condi Rice were tied at 9 votes each.
Thanks to everyone who participated resulting in over 200 comments. Please note that only clearly-stated votes were counted. In comments where two or more potential VP’s were offered, only the first-named was accepted.
As mentioned in the original posting these results will be reported to the Romney campaign.
Now for my vote on Romney’s VP with some editorializing on the poll results.
Back in early November, I wrote this piece about why the selection of Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell was a “done deal” as Romney’s running mate.
Well, perhaps I exaggerated just a tad about the “done deal” part but, for all the reasons stated, I still believe McDonnell is Romney’s wisest choice.
Then, at a Christmas party I spoke to former Virginia Senator George Allen who is running this year to win back his old Senate seat. He told me he REALLY liked the idea of McDonnell for VP although Allen made a point of saying he has not endorsed Romney.
(Note: McDonnell as VP would practically ensure that Allen would win back his Senate seat but you have to read the piece for all the interesting background and national consequences of what will possibly be an epic Virginia battleground match-up of Obama/Kaine vs. Romney/McDonnell/Allen to understand the whole picture.)
Since Rubio was the winner of the poll contest, here is my take on him.
Senator Rubio, although a rising star in the Republican Party with a very bright future, is not ready yet to be Vice-President. Senator Rubio has only been in the US Senate since January 2011 and will be 41 years old in May. He needs to marinate awhile on the national stage, earn some stature, and build a record.
(OK, so we all know that Obama did not ‘marinate” but look at the trouble the county is in now as a result.)
Senator Rubio himself believes he needs more time because on numerous occasions he has stated that he will not be on any national ticket in 2012 and wants to focus on being a Senator from Florida.
For more explanation about why I believe Senator Marco Rubio is correct in his public declarations go back and please re-read my PJM piece from March of 2011 entitled “Why Rubio Should Resist 2012 Temptations.”
The second place poll contest winner, Congressman Allen West (FL-22) also is a rising star in the GOP. Unfortunately West has a brutal battle ahead of him just to hang on to his Congressional seat due to re-districting and his outspoken pronouncements that do not sit well with all the moderate and independent voters in his swing district. But, if Romney has strong coattails, West will most likely hang on to his seat. If he does manage to lose, and Romney wins, perhaps Romney will have a place for him in his administration. However, a new job as a national radio talk show host might be better suited to his personality. Watch out Rush Limbaugh! For more on Allen West and his difficult re-election ahead you can go back and re-read my PJM interview with him from October of 2011.
Finally, although off the VP topic, with the news that Ambassador Jon Huntsman will drop out of the presidential race and support Romney my bet is that Romney, if elected, will ask Huntsman to be his Secretary of State. (Sorry, John Bolton fans!) Was there a deal? Would Huntsman make a good Secretary of State?
Perhaps that question should be offered up for the next poll contest.
Watch this space!
Misreading. Huntsman endorsement nowhere strong enough for there have been a deal of that scope. As Drudge notes, Huntsman only mentioned Romney once. Bolton is campaigning with him. I doubt Hunstman will end up at State. Not sure about Bolton, but will probably get something. Maybe National Security Adviser. Romney has absolutely nothing to gain from Hunstman whose following is minuscule and went nowhere as a candidate. Plenty to gain from Bolton.
Sounds like you are looking past the election. I like that confidence! I don’t like Romney that much unfortunately.
Chris Christie as VP would be great. He would add voice and vision and may help Romney avoid being the complacent moderate that I think he is.
– John Batchelor Show (because he favors Romney) for a sense of Mitt’s choices.
This is just one huge Gedankenexperiment at this point that will be rendered moot unless Romney actually ….. wins against Obama. Ain’t gonna happen.
Subotai Bahadur
If Congressman West doesn’t win reelection and Romney wins, West would make an outstanding Sec Def IMHO.
And a Romney administration without Bolton in some Cabinet level capacity would just be stupid.
… then West would be a loser: If he could not be trusted by the people in his own district, the people who were supposed to know him best, etc, etc…
If he lost, he lost. Fini
Romney would choose David H. Petraeus who had won Iraq before Obama lost it, who “almost” turned Afghanistan around before Obama sent him to rescue the CIA, who was “one of them” the Military, he could support his arguments with his own studies, he could show how stupid Congressmen and Senators actually were “with respect and humility”.
I would say Newt Gingrich, but I doubt the two of them would get along now.
I would not put Huntsman in charge of a picnic basket but he might be OK for ambassador to the UN or something of the sort.
Using instinct and intuition only, my gut tells me Rubio is a winner and that Christie, for all his lack of wisdom on certain issues, is a man to groom for his eventual adminsitration, as is perhaps Ryan.
The key thing about all three of these folks is that they fight. Rubio needs the VP boost than Christie. Ryan needs to go get some governor time. All three are men to keep and hold on to.
Romney, if elected, will ask Huntsman to be his Secretary of State. (Sorry, John Bolton fans!) Was there a deal? Would Huntsman make a good Secretary of State?
LORD SNOOTFULL? Oh, puh-leeze. Next to Obama, the guy is the most insufferable pres candidate in my lifetime. Might as well State over to the EU.
It’s a good thing that Father Drinan is no longer with us. Romney might choose him as a running mate, if only to be able to run on the Mitt ‘n’ Drinan* ticket…
__________
*For the Yiddish-challenged, “mitten drinnen” means “in the middle of everything.”
The ideal VP for a flip-flopper like Romney would be John Kerry. A Massachusetts Moderate and a Massachusetts Waffler. No matter what campaign issue comes up, they both have been on either side of it at one time or another.
Plus they both have nice hair and can speak French!
While a younger ‘rock star’ like Rubio has appeal, since 1960 no one has won the Presidency without getting Ohio. If Romney wants a governance pick with Executive branch budget & trade experience and Legislative experience in the House & Senate, who can actually fill the job of the President if called upon, as well as carry Ohio, then Rob Portman will get serious consideration.