New Republican parlor game: who would Pence pick for Veep?

[Jimbo101]

Axios

One of the parlor games Republicans are playing in the shadows of the Russia investigation is this: Who would President Pence pick as his vice president?

Quick refresher: If a president leaves offices for any reason, the sitting Vice President takes over and picks his number two, subject to majority vote in the House and Senate.

Quick stipulation: Yes, this is premature and highly speculative and premised solely on Trump leaving office for whatever reason.
The potential replacements

The various theories being tossed around:

Return to normal: Pick a conventional, mainstream Republican to usher back in pre-Trump conservativism. Think Paul Ryan or Mitt Romney. (Romney more likely, because you wouldn't want to disrupt a second branch of government.) Or Nikki Haley, U.S. ambassador to the U.N., and former South Carolina governor.

Reassurance: Pick someone who helps ease the nerves of an anxious nation. Think Bob Gates. Or Mitch Daniels, for Hoosier supremacy? John Boehner?

Calm the country: Pick someone who sends a clear signal that anything approximating the status quo of Trump or even pre-Trump won't cut it. Think Joe Biden or Michael Bloomberg. The chattering class would go ga-ga!

Double Down: Pick someone who can keep the spirit of America First Trumpism alive. The problem is it's thin pickings: Jeff Sessions? Rudy Giuliani? Newt Gingrich?

[Historic NY]

1. Lying Ryan

[wishstar]

2. Someone like Mike Pompeo- an Evangelical who shares Pence's Dominionism nt

[Warpy]

3. I think he'd pick Santorum

to pass on the Republican popehood.

[QED]

4. I was just going to say this...

Ricky is unemployed, isn't he? I know he's scheduled for at least one Sunday show this week - I think it's Tapper's.

[Freddie]

12. Unemployed since 2006

They wouldn't be putting him on a ticket to win the PA vote as he is loathed here.

[madinmaryland]

16. That would end up being a frothy mess.

[madamesilverspurs]

5. Gohmert.

He'd be in keeping with the moment.


.

[Mike Nelson]

6. He would pick someone awful...

...someone like Trey Gowdy or Tom Cotton. Paul Ryan and Mitt Romney would be too moderate. Conservative agenda.

[Still In Wisconsin]

7. Please let it be one Scott Kevin Walker.

God knows we can't rid ourselves of him by any conventional means...

[Chasstev365]

10. Good Call! The Kochs would be one step closer to having their butt boy as president!

[Still In Wisconsin]

11. Here's an idea: Kellyanne Conway.

You know, because that would be the most massive "fuck you" they could probably think of!

[Chasstev365]

8. Sen John Thune to get him ready for 2020

Otherwise, it will be another in your face asshole that Trump supporters will love; Christie or Giuliani?

[Mr. Ected]

9. He's not going to give up a Congressional seat, that's for sure

Nor will he name anyone remotely connected to Trump, except maybe Nikki Haley.

Rick Santorum is a blood-type match, but that would turn the White House into the Jesus Twin Zone, and that too has its limitations.

Hopefully, this is a moot point and he'll be joining the other co-conspirators in a 10 by 10 cage.

[spanone]

13. you can't think crazy enough anymore...think the craziest fucking thing then multiply by 9

john bolton?

alex jones?

sean hannity?

[Takket]

14. Satan

[madinmaryland]

17. It's possible he would select Dick Cheney.

[Yupster]

15. Nikki Haley

is my guess.

[mcar]

18. Ryan

Then Dems win back the House and Pelosi is Speaker. Pence and Ryan resigned or are impeached and we have President Pelosi!

A girl can dream.

[lunasun]

19. Some stupid ass fundie male that will help him whittle away women's rights that's a given

Mother will help guide him to the right choice which will not be a female since he can not be alone with one or some bs

[dalton99a]

20. Ryan

or someone equally dishonest and evil who has political stature

[Dream Girl]

21. Scott Walker

[VOX]

22. If he were smart (big stretch, I know), he'd pick John Kasich.

Kasich may have the least amount of Trump-stench, and is outside of the D.C. cesspool. In the same way Gerald Ford picked Nelson Rockefeller, post-Nixon's resignation -- try to get a warm body who won't trigger the nation's gag reflex.

However, Pence is lawyering up, and there's a solid chance he might not be left standing when the dust finally clears from the mega-mess that is the Drumpf administration.