The Race for Vice President Matters

As we approach November with the Democratic field almost as large as ever, many in the media and party circles have begun to speculate that some candidates may have their eyes on the vice presidency. It is a natural part of campaign cycles: appealing and inspiring candidates underperforms, and everyone in cable news rooms or on Twitter likes to pretend that they can decide the ticket by themselves. Ultimately, the vice presidential nominee will be decided by the presidential nominee, but the speculation raises an interesting question: does it matters who is in the number two slot?

Put simply: Yes, it does. Every primary produces a presidential candidate with weaknesses. There is no way in this media environment any candidate can win the nomination of either of the major parties without overcoming significant obstacles. The earliest decision that allows presidential candidates to address their greatest weakness is selecting their running mate. 

In 2008, for instance, Barack Obama emerged from a brutal primary campaign seen by almost half of his own party as young, naive, unelectable, and unqualified to be commander-in-chief. Many in the Democratic party have forgotten how ugly the race between Obama and Hillary Clinton was. The first opportunity Obama had to address these weaknesses was with his selection of Joe Biden. In Biden, the Obama campaign added a veteran lawmaker, party insider, and experienced hand trusted in domestic and international circles. While perhaps it did not sway the election, Biden’s presence on the ticket was a significant help in reducing experience concerns about Obama’s experience. 

2016, despite all of its surprises, was a prime example of how much a vice presidential selection can address a candidate's weaknesses. By the end of the Republican primary, evangelical conservatives had no business falling in line behind Donald Trump. Much of what is known now about the president was known then: his history of womanizing, utter and complete vulgarity, and lack of any shred of what for years conservatives have referred to as “traditional family values.” Mike Pence was the olive branch the Trump campaign extended to these voters. Pence allowed these voters to ignore Trump’s personal attributes and return to their staple issues: fighting to overturn Roe v. Wade, rallying in favor of “religious liberty,” and fighting for conservative justices.

So, what does this mean for 2020? We know that the selection of a vice presidential nominee will be the first and perhaps most important decision the Democratic nominee will make. I will not speculate at this time on who I think each candidate should select should they win the nomination, because it ultimately depends on what the nominee’s biggest weakness is before the convention. I will say this: a united party is the best way to defeat Donald Trump. This means that, whoever the nominee, it is better to choose a running mate who appeals to the voters unsatisfied by the primary, rather than choose one who simply reinforces the nominee’s vision for the party and country.