Until Mitt Romney actually announces a running mate, the speculation over who that vice-presidential nominee will be will only ratchet up daily. Obviously, the name of Florida’s rookie Senator Marco Rubio, makes every short list, along with former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Ohio Sen. Rob Portman, Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan, Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush.
The case for Rubio is manifestly obvious. A classic ticket balancer. Attractive, articulate, youthful Cuban-American who had tea party backing without being defined by it. Would help presumably with Hispanics, where Romney needs help, and the critically important, mega swing state that is Florida.
But Rubio’s no slam dunk. The 40-year-old has some baggage–that party credit card and that pre-post Castro flap with his parents–but he can handle the vetting. But he also has that self-serving, protean immigration policy, and his Hispanic appeal is based on the faulty premise that all Hispanics–from Cubans to Mexicans to Puerto Ricans–vote the same.
But if an articulate, up-and-coming Hispanic is, indeed, what truly intrigues Romney, then why not Susana Martinez, the first-term governor of New Mexico? The 52-year-old Martinez is an ex-district attorney, a former “Prosecutor of the Year” in New Mexico and the first female Hispanic governor in the United States. She’s a strong border exponent, pro-life advocate and mantra-like on balancing budgets and lowering government spending.
Romney has serious deficits with both Hispanics and women. There are no political closers with these two demographic groups, but he could do worse than Gov. Martinez. If he picks Rubio, he will.