Mitch Daniels to Run for VP?

The Indiana Gov. declared during the early stages of the primary season that he would not be running for the GOP nomination. However, could he be putting his hand up as a possible running mate? What is it John Adams once said? The Vice-Presidency isn’t worth a warm bucket of what?

Cariacture by DonkeyHotey via Flickr on a CC license.

Mitch Daniels is Out

Like his close friend Haley Barbour, the Governor of Mississippi, Mitch Daniels, the Governor of Indiana, has decided not to pursue the Republican nomination for President in 2012. He joins an increasingly large list of Republican politicians who have surprisingly declined the opportunity to run. Mike Huckabee, in particular, looked like a lock and possibly the race's biggest heavyweight given the relative success of his attempt in 2008 and his activities since then including a TV show on the Fox News Channel and books he has written.

Daniels is widely seen as a rising star in the GOP having been re-elected by an 18 point margin in 2008 and has made his name as a potent cost-cutter, budget-balancer and, to a lesser degree, as a limiter of abortion. David Brooks of the New York times described the Governor as the "Party's strongest [would be] candidate," adding that he "couldn't match Obama in grace and elegance, but he could on substance."

In an e-mail sent out in the early hours of Sunday morning to his supporters he told them: "I was able to resolve every competing consideration but one, but that, the interests and wishes of my family, is the most important consideration of all." Daniels expressed concern at the strain a national campaign, and the glare of the national media it entails, could have on his wife and 4 daughters.

In finishing his e-mail he wrote: "If I have disappointed you, I will always be sorry. If you feel that this was a non-courageous or unpatriotic decision, I understand and will not attempt to persuade you otherwise.  I only hope that you will accept my sincerity in the judgment I reached."

Photo by Adam P Schweigert/WFIU via Flickr.

        

The Prospective GOP Field

Whilst Gary Johnson and Fred Karger remain the only 2 legitimate politicians to declare their candidacy for the Republican nomination the following are prospective nominees that we can expect decisions from in the coming weeks:

• Michele Bachmann - Minnesota Representative, prominent Tea Party member
• John Bolton - former UN aambassador, considered a neo-conservative
• Mitch Daniels - Governor of Indiana, more of a fiscal conservative
• Newt Gingrich - former Speaker, orchestrated 1994 Contract with America 
• Rudy Giuliani - Mayor of New York during 9/11, failed 2008 candidate
• Mike Huckabee - former Governor of Arkansas, social conservative
• Jon Huntsman, Jr. - former Governor of Utah. former ambassador to China
• Sarah Palin - running mate in 2008, social conservative, grassroots darling
• Ron Paul - iconic libertarian Republican, fiscal conservative, evergreen 
• Tim Pawlenty - former 1-term Governor of Minnesota, social conservative
• Buddy Roemer - former Governor of Louisiana, was a Democrat
• Mitt Romney - former Governor of Massachusetts, health-care reformer
• Rick Santorum - former Pennsylvania Senator, social conservative
• Donald Trump, Sr. - multi-millionaire businessman, quasi-celebrity, PR stunt?

This is not a comprehensive list of all the possible nominees but it is a list of all those who have any kind of legitimate shot at the nomination that have either expressed intention to run or are widely speculated to do so. (Bold type constitutes the widely regarded heavyweights within the party.) Santorum could be added to this list because much of his career has been prolific except for the fact that he suffered a humiliating and colossal defeat in his 2006 Senate campaign. Since then his career has somewhat stalled whilst Gingrich was one of the most high profile Speakers in American history because of his famous bust-ups with Bill Clinton but since his resignation in 1999 he has yet to recapture those previous heights.

Gingrich is expected to announce as early as the start of next week whilst Bachmann and Trump have said they will make their minds up by June. However, it is Mike Huckabee whose nomination will be followed most closely as he is no doubt a heavy-weight contender that has done everything expected of a nominee except promptly declare. Pawlenty and Romney are heavyweights that are certain to run whilst the smart money would be on Palin not to and wait 4 years.

The Republican field is slowly taking shape but at the moment what we are seeing is a really big game of chicken. Once a heavyweight candidate declares the rest will promptly follow suit but until then the prospective candidates jostle for pole position. Think of it in terms of the start of the Grand National at Aintree, although only the first 30 seconds of the video are relevant, it was a good race anyway.