I voted for Trump twice and will happily do so again. In order to beat Biden a running mate will be needed that helps draw fence line voters in. Without this strategy I don't trust the system to prevail on Trump alone. Would like to have a civil thread with others' opinions.

A few buddies and I were pontificating on the criticality of the running mate selection. I've listed our conclusions below (we did imbibe).

-Kennedy runs third party. Trump/Carson. Provides a credible minority candidate (see Kamala) with a personality that balances Trump.
-Kennedy doesn't run third party. Trump/Kennedy. Kennedy helps tap into the moderate/suburban female demographic that will be needed. His views are fairly moderate, and he shows up well, high likability.
-If Kennedy runs third party and Carson isn't chosen, we are essentially effed. But we prefer Noem in this instance because she is mighty nice on the eyes.

We all agreed a Tucker type selection excites the base but loses in a general.

I'm hoping it's DeSantis but I'm betting it's Carson.

Are there really people out there thinking, "hmm, I don't know. Should I vote Biden or Trump?" No.
Sadly, there are people like my boss who would vote biden over Trump. At the same time he would likely vote Haley over biden.
So does a Trump/Haley ticket draw in supposedly (misguided) "independents" who don't like mean tweets?

I don't know.

We discussed Haley and came to the conclusion that the potential for that marriage to blow up before November is somewhat likely hence she was left out.

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Secondly, any suburban female that isn't already voting Republican is not going to do so. It does not matter who the vice president nominee is.

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You are correct, but it isn't just suburban females. Trump's base, while very motivated, is smaller than it was in 2020. If he is convicted of something between now and Nov (not super likely given how slowly these things move), it will erode even more.

Turnout isn't going to be good no matter the VP choices. And major 3rd party candidates (realistically Kennedy and No Labels maybe) are going to have an impact not seen since 92.

Im Gipper said:

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Trump/Kennedy. Kennedy helps tap into the moderate/suburban female demographic that will be needed. His views are fairly moderate, and he shows up well, high likability.
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For starters, he is not "fairly moderate." He is a liberal.

Secondly, any suburban female that isn't already voting Republican is not going to do so. It does not matter who the vice president nominee is.

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Maybe a liberal by title but one could argue almost all of our GOP (minus Desantis and to a lesser extent Trump) are somewhat liberal. Kennedy seems pretty well liked and isn't very polarizing. That sort of stability would help.

If you're an Independent at this point, you truly have no clue.

In modern politics and especially with Trump, I don't think the VP gets a candidate votes. If they choose a polarizing VP, it would cost the candidate votes. With Trump, it is even more so because there isn't enough oxygen in the room for them to have much of a voice to help swing voters.

Trump and others have some liberal positions.

Kennedy ISa liberal. Huge difference!


What is the issue that is going to make suburban woman vote for. Trump/Kennedy ticket?

Im Gipper said:

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Trump and others have some liberal positions.

Kennedy ISa liberal. Huge difference!


What is the issue that is going to make suburban woman vote for. Trump/Kennedy ticket?

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He has said he'd close the border, he's against defund the police - think LE needs more funding, supports gun ownership, and doesn't support the national legalization of pot. Those things probably would be viewed as positive by the burbs. So, immigration problem is bad. Police are good - crime is bad. Second Amendment is fine.

The VP candidate will not matter. Libs and TDS sufferers wouldn't vote for Trump if his running mate were Jesus Christ himself.

KatyAggie2000 said:

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I voted for Trump twice and will happily do so again. In order to beat Biden a running mate will be needed that helps draw fence line voters in. Without this strategy I don't trust the system to prevail on Trump alone. Would like to have a civil thread with others' opinions.

A few buddies and I were pontificating on the criticality of the running mate selection. I've listed our conclusions below (we did imbibe).

-Kennedy runs third party. Trump/Carson. Provides a credible minority candidate (see Kamala) with a personality that balances Trump.
-Kennedy doesn't run third party. Trump/Kennedy. Kennedy helps tap into the moderate/suburban female demographic that will be needed. His views are fairly moderate, and he shows up well, high likability.
-If Kennedy runs third party and Carson isn't chosen, we are essentially effed. But we prefer Noem in this instance because she is mighty nice on the eyes.

We all agreed a Tucker type selection excites the base but loses in a general.

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Says all we need to know about 'the base' if Tucker 'excites' them. Two tv celebs in charge of the most powerful country in the world.

Tucker would never be able to stand in his shadow and keep his mouth shut. And Trump would destroy him the minute Tucker took the spotlight off him.

Trump needs someone without any baggage who knows their place.

VP: Kanye West

I'd love to see him pick J.D. Vance.
And then have a heart attack and die or just resign a couple days after inauguration.

Abbott will be the VP

Kansas Kid said:

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In modern politics and especially with Trump, I don't think the VP gets a candidate votes. If they choose a polarizing VP, it would cost the candidate votes. With Trump, it is even more so because there isn't enough oxygen in the room for them to have much of a voice to help swing voters.

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Mike Pence helped with votes by bringing in the Christian conservatives.

Needs a VP pick to bring GOP voters back into the tent and at least vote even if they don't like him.

Trump was the favorite of evangelicals long before he named Pence as VO

As much as I don't like her, I think Haley is the only one that might be able to assuage the concerns of independents and suburban mom's over Trump's volatility and temperament.

I don't blame **** on suburban moms. It's their husbands that need to train them to vote properly.

SA68AG said:

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As much as I don't like her, I think Haley is the only one that might be able to assuage the concerns of independents and suburban mom's over Trump's volatility and temperament.

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For every suburban mom Haley picks up, Trump loses a supporter.


Haley would be a complete betrayal to his base!

agz win said:

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Kansas Kid said:

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In modern politics and especially with Trump, I don't think the VP gets a candidate votes. If they choose a polarizing VP, it would cost the candidate votes. With Trump, it is even more so because there isn't enough oxygen in the room for them to have much of a voice to help swing voters.

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Mike Pence helped with votes by bringing in the Christian conservatives.

Needs a VP pick to bring GOP voters back into the tent and at least vote even if they don't like him.

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I know that was the idea behind bringing him in as VP but from what I remember, the polling data didn't really change with the evangelicals when he was picked. I think he may have solidified it but I don't think it changed the vote.

this election, it will come down to who is the lesser of two evils with the swing voters. They are both strongly disliked by the middle and I know I will get flamed for that comment by the Trump supporters who can't stand Biden and think a large number of Americans love Trump but essentially all of the data supports that view.

The other key is who can get their base out and that favors Trump because the youth and blacks that strongly backed Biden in 2020 are a lot less enamored with him this go around and will likely not vote.

Im Gipper said:

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SA68AG said:

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As much as I don't like her, I think Haley is the only one that might be able to assuage the concerns of independents and suburban mom's over Trump's volatility and temperament.

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For every suburban mom Haley picks up, Trump loses a supporter.


Haley would be a complete betrayal to his base!

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And where will those Trump supporters go? A few won't vote but they will still show up for The Donald.

Btw, I don't think there is any chance he chooses her but I think it is for the fact that she didn't stay totally loyal to him and not run.

Im Gipper said:

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SA68AG said:

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As much as I don't like her, I think Haley is the only one that might be able to assuage the concerns of independents and suburban mom's over Trump's volatility and temperament.

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For every suburban mom Haley picks up, Trump loses a supporter.


Haley would be a complete betrayal to his base!

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Trump's not losing any base supporters over his VP pick or anything else for that matter. But he damn sure needs to pick up some voters who aren't in his base group.

So basically, republicans have to do exactly what the democrats do to win...

Pander the black vote?

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Trump's not losing any base supporters over his VP pick or anything else for that matter

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Wrong!!!


Bannon has already said they will stay home if Trump betrays MAGA with Haley. I will too!

Trumps base IS SOLID AS A ROCK. I doubt the VP will have much to do with his chances in Nov.

The vp will be someone that is very loyal to him.
MTG, Tim Scott, Vivek, the house rep from New York fit the bill.

I'm thinking that ship has sailed for Nikki and Gov DeSantis.

I'd say Steve Bannon knows more about the Trump base than you do! No offense.

His base is smaller and he must bring in votes to have any chance. Lots of Republicans not intending to vote could be influenced to actually vote if he can entice with a decent pick. And pandering is politics 101.

George Santos

Im Gipper said:

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I'd say Steve Bannon knows more about the Trump base than you do! No offense.

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No offense taken, lol. He likely does.

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His base is smaller

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Lol

agz win said:

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His base is smaller and he must bring in votes to have any chance. Lots of Republicans not intending to vote could be influenced to actually vote if he can entice with a decent pick. And pandering is politics 101.

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Bidens base is smaller, too. More so, imo.

RFK is our!!

“Radical” is shutting down the country with no due process, pushing Operation Warp Speed on an experimental pharmaceutical product, and giving Dr. Fauci, who now admits social distancing wasn’t based on science, a Presidential Commendation. I look forward to debating our records… pic.twitter.com/UQtJfTtfCe

— Robert F. Kennedy Jr (@RobertKennedyJr) January 31, 2024