Iowans on Short List for Veep
IOWA CITY, Iowa (CBS2/FOX28) — Vice Presidential running mates are often chosen for their strength in an area where the presidential candidate is weak or to add balance to a ticket that may seem to lean in a controversial direction.
With that in mind and with negatives running high for both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, the "Veeps" may be a more important choice than ever before. At least two Iowans are being mentioned on the short lists and University of Iowa Political Scientist Tim Hagle says that's more than just day dreaming on the part of Iowa's party faithful, especially when it comes to Senator Joni Ernst, "It's not entirely just Iowans wishful thinking, because people outside of Iowa have mentioned her before. "
As a balance to Trump's billionaire lifestyle, Hagle says Senator Ernst brings a lot to the table as a down to earth farm girl and someone who would take away any gender advantage, with Clinton being the only woman running thus far."
Also her status as a veteran and Trump's emphasis on veterans, she's new enough that in one sense that's a plus, because she doesn't have a long record of votes that can be used against her, of course that's also a downside in the sense she doesn't have a lot of experience." First time corridor voter Jessica Serd says she considers Clinton the lesser of two evils in the race for president and wishes Bernie Sanders could still have some voice in the White House as V.P. As for Trump, she says his teammate better be tough, "Someone very patient and not afraid to butt heads."
Professor Hagle says while Senator Elizabeth Warren appeared with Clinton this week, he thinks there's a real chance she would upstage the former first lady and doubts she would run as V.P. But he says the idea of former Iowa Governor and now Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack taking on the challenge makes some sense. Vilsack is a long-time friend of the Clintons and Hagle says while he's not very exciting, he could bring some swing states, "He could be the kind of person that could go to a lot of different states, not just Iowa as a swing state, but other places as well, Ohio, Virginia, even Florida and talk about the agriculture issues that are important in that particular state."
Professor Hagle says since Iowa is unlikely to play a major role in determining the next president, he anticipates someone like Virginia Senator Tim Kaine or HUD Secretary Julian Castro will be picked by Clinton. He says for Trump, Tennessee Senator Bob Corker might be a possibility, but right now it's anyone's guess. Both the Democratic and Republican National Conventions are coming up in July and presidential candidates usually announce their choice for running mates prior to the convention.
