“I’ll vote for Thompson if Hunter becomes his running mate.”
Impossible. Surely you have heard of balancing the ticket? Thompson will be thought of as quite conservative by the majority of the electorate. Did Reagan pick a conservative for VP? No, he did not, he picked a Rockyfeller Republican.
Bush II ran as a compassionate (moderate) conservative, and picked a strong conserative with a lot of experience to balance his lack of same.
Rudy, Romney or Huckabee would pick a guy like Hunter. Fred would probably look for a candidate who could bring in a big state, and be seen as moderate.
Hunter will be up for a top cabinet position.
Yes, I know, you don’t like any of this at all.
People also don’t pick running mates that can’t deliver their home state, at least. Hunter obviously can’t.
People need to forget their Hunter-VP fantasies.
The biggest states are irredeemably Blue.
Unless you think Rudy as Veep could bring in NY ?
The only national figures from CA are Arnold who is ineligible and Hunter who doesn’t balance the ticket according to your view.
What does that leave ?
FL has Jeb, but a Bush on the ticket would turn away independents.
TX ? Maybe Ron Paul as Veep ?