Walz — Comer Opens Congressional Investigation of Walz trips to China

[lightbluenc]

Was just about to say that Shapiro has been pretty quiet compared to several other candidates auditioning for the VP slot, then this popped up:

Whoa this is great. I love Mark Kelly but this energy is so good.

 

[farce©]

I have been surprised by how openly he is campaigning for the VP slot.

I think he knows he's reached the ceiling in Kentucky. It's hard to see him winning a Senate seat there.

 

[mpaer]

So Coop is gonna have to do something to keep up! Go all Helicopter or something

 

[HeelInTheOzarks]

I don’t like that Shapiro is big into school vouchers. I didn’t know this until today.

 

[superrific]

I don’t like that Shapiro is big into school vouchers. I didn’t know this until today.

He would be the VP candidate. You're not going to find someone who agrees with you about every single policy. It's unlikely that his support or non-support for school vouchers would ever make any difference in the world. Maybe if he's president in four or eight years it might, but I'd be thrilled to have the problem that President Josh Shapiro (D) likes school vouchers.

Same goes with Kelly and organized labor, and I also doubt that any union votes are going to be affected if Kamala were to choose him as VP.

Finally, I think it's long been disproven that VP candidates can deliver for their home geographic areas. MAYBE an extremely popular governor could help a ticket in-state (the Big Gretch argument), but that's an if because people vote the top of the ticket. And there's no evidence that they help out of state. If Josh Shapiro is making the difference for Dems in PA, we're probably losing.

 

[HeelInTheOzarks]

He would be the VP candidate. You're not going to find someone who agrees with you about every single policy. It's unlikely that his support or non-support for school vouchers would ever make any difference in the world. Maybe if he's president in four or eight years it might, but I'd be thrilled to have the problem that President Josh Shapiro (D) likes school vouchers.

Same goes with Kelly and organized labor, and I also doubt that any union votes are going to be affected if Kamala were to choose him as VP.

Finally, I think it's long been disproven that VP candidates can deliver for their home geographic areas. MAYBE an extremely popular governor could help a ticket in-state (the Big Gretch argument), but that's an if because people vote the top of the ticket. And there's no evidence that they help out of state. If Josh Shapiro is making the difference for Dems in PA, we're probably losing.

Yeah I’m not an ideological purist, it was just kinda disappointing. I still think he’d be a great candidate.

 

[nycfan]

 

[nycfan]

 

[nycfan]

 

[lawtig02]

That would be a fun moment in their debate.

 

[mpaer]

That would be a fun moment in their debate.

I am all in . A "true" american hero and bulldog

 

[HintonJamesHeel]

Cooper would be very solid. I actually think he’d open up NC for Harris considering the dynamic with Robinson as well. He won’t be the choice but would love it if he was.

 

[superrific]

Unless I am mistaken, Kelly wouldn't have to resign his Senate seat unless he was actually elected VP. In other words, replacing him is sort of a problem I don't mind having.

Yes, it would suck to lose the incumbency advantage in Arizona in 2026, but if Kelly helps the ticket even incrementally (and I'm going to trust Kamala and her team on this, who know far more than I do), it's worth it.

 

[TarHeelGrad]

Unless I am mistaken, Kelly wouldn't have to resign his Senate seat unless he was actually elected VP. In other words, replacing him is sort of a problem I don't mind having.

Yes, it would suck to lose the incumbency advantage in Arizona in 2026, but if Kelly helps the ticket even incrementally (and I'm going to trust Kamala and her team on this, who know far more than I do), it's worth it.

Pardon my ignorance, but in the event that Kelly became VP, wouldn't the Democrat governor appoint his replacement? Then they would have two years to make their case to Arizona for re-election?

 

[nashcounty]

I met Roy Cooper many years ago and really like him, but I'm not sure he would help all that much in a national campaign. I think Kelly, Shapiro, or Beshear would be better options.

 

[HeelInTheOzarks]

Pardon my ignorance, but in the event that Kelly became VP, wouldn't the Democrat governor appoint his replacement? Then they would have two years to make their case to Arizona for re-election?

Yes - in Arizona the governor appoints a replacement (but only until the next congressional election, which would be 2026). Kelly originally won in 2020 special election (McCain died in 2018 and the R governor appointed a replacement to serve until 2020). Then the seat was up for its regular turn in the election cycle in 2022, and Kelly won again.

Now there is a D governor, so she would theoretically appoint a democrat to serve until the 2026 midterm where the same seat would be up again in a special.

 

[HeelInTheOzarks]

Kelly hits a lot of traditional American politician marks, sans hair. I just hope the west coast concentration doesn't turn-off the mid-west and potentially gettable GA and NC. Heading to his wiki page, I had hopes of learning he grew-up in Ohio or MO or some such, but alas, a Jersey boy.

Vance has a beard and Kelly is bald...what will America do???

And as a bald man with a beard, I feel very seen!

 

[Zoo_View]

Yes - in Arizona the governor appoints a replacement (but only until the next congressional election, which would be 2026). Kelly originally won in 2020 special election (McCain died in 2018 and the R governor appointed a replacement to serve until 2020). Then the seat was up for its regular turn in the election cycle in 2022, and Kelly won again.

Now there is a D governor, so she would theoretically appoint a democrat to serve until the 2026 midterm where the same seat would be up again in a special.

By state law, she has to appoint someone from the same party.

 

[Scientific Mapp]

I met Roy Cooper many years ago and really like him, but I'm not sure he would help all that much in a national campaign. I think Kelly, Shapiro, or Beshear would be better options.

Agreed. Roy would very likely not swing NC and wouldn't add much value otherwise.

Props for the Popcorn Sutton look. I bought white likker from him in the early 2000s. Very ornery dude.

 

[CFordUNC]

I am no political strategist, and after how adamant I was that Biden shouldn't/wouldn't step aside nobody should take my political takes with much more than a grain of salt, but the more I think about it, the more I think that the VP pick needs to be Josh Shapiro. As much as I like Mark Kelly, I just think that strategically Pennsylvania is so crucial to Harris's electoral path that it makes the most sense to me to select Shapiro. I know that Arizona went blue in 2020 but I don't think we should feel like we can count on it to do so in 2024, and there is a much more viable pathway to victory without Arizona than there is sans Pennsylvania and their 19 EV's. With Pennsylvania, all Harris needs is Michigan and Wisconsin (and Nebraska-2) to win. She can even afford to have both Arizona and Georgia flip back, and have Nevada flip. Without Pennsylvania, she has to have both Arizona *and* Georgia in addition to Michigan and Wisconsin.

Maybe I'm overthinking it, and maybe Shapiro could still help her carry Pennsylvania even while not on the ticket. Or maybe Kelly could actually help ensure that Arizona stays blue this cycle. Or maybe VP picks don't really have that much of a substantial impact on the ticket's ability to carry their home state historically. But it just feels to me like pulling out all of the stops to make sure Pennsylvania is in the bag for Blue is the best strategy.