The Republican Establishment has once again defeated Conservatives. They have muscled in Center-Left Republican Mitt Romney as the probable nominee. Now they want Ohio Senator Bob Portman as Romney’s VP. This would be a bone headed move. Portman excites no one and is part of the Establishment. As part of the Bush administration, he supported massive spending and increasing the debt.
If he wins the GOP presidential nomination, Mitt Romney’s vice presidential pick will ultimately come down to two basic choices: whether he wants a running mate who helps him govern or one who helps him politically.
Which imperative reigns won’t be clear until at least the summer, as the GOP convention approaches, and after the fall landscape solidifies. Given Romney’s background and personality, there is little question about the kind of No. 2 he would prefer — someone with whom he could form a strong governing partnership and with whom he would personally be compatible.
[….]
Right now, the name on the lips of most GOP strategists is Ohio senator and former George W. Bush administration official Rob Portman.
Yet Romney is also facing some daunting political realities — a quantifiable gender gap, a loss of support among Hispanics amid a hard-right tack on immigration during the Republican primary, concerns about whether he’ll stick by his nods to conservatism and his own lack of sizzle on the stump.
This would be a huge mistake. Bob Portman has no charisma and is a liberal Republican whose part of the establishment. This would all but guaranteed an Obama victory. Then again, maybe that’s the goal here.
