I wrote here about the possibility of a Trump-Pence GOP ticket. It’s far from clear that Mike Pence is Donald Trump’s first choice, but it seemed to me that Pence probably would accept the nod if Trump offered it.
Eliana Johnson reports that Pence would, indeed, likely agree to be Trump’s running mate. Why? Because Pence, who is embroiled in a tough reelection campaign in Indiana, “may have more to gain by joining the GOP ticket than by rejecting it.”
In response to my Pence post, a reader pointed out that all of the names mentioned most prominently as running mates with Trump have something in common? All of them either have no apparent political future without Trump or have a very questionable one.
Newt Gingrich, Chris Christie, and Rick Santorum fall into the first category — no apparent political future. So do the Generals who sometimes are mentioned.
Mike Pence falls into the second category. In the worst case non-Trump scenario, he loses his election and is probably finished politically. In the best case scenario, he serves another term as Indiana governor.
Having served ten years as an important member of the House and one term as governor, it would be natural for Pence to think, even in the best case scenario, “been there, done that.”
Two Republicans prominently mentioned as vice presidential nominees recently indicated they aren’t interested. What do Bob Corker and Joni Ernst have in common? Both have a political future.
We don’t know how Trump’s VP search will end. It’s possible that Trump will select a rising star, or at least a non-fading one, and that this individual will agree to run with the tycoon.
However, I don’t think it’s a coincidence that no such star is high on the list of those being mentioned.
Notice: All comments are subject to moderation. Our comments are intended to be a forum for civil discourse bearing on the subject under discussion. Commenters who stray beyond the bounds of civility or employ what we deem gratuitous vulgarity in a comment — including, but not limited to, “s***,” “f***,” “a*******,” or one of their many variants — will be banned without further notice in the sole discretion of the site moderator.