Moe,Larry and Shemp.
Electoral Votes. Electoral Votes. Electoral Votes.
You do NOT select a VP from a red state when you know already how close the election will be. People forget that the Bush / Gore context was not polled to be particularly close and only the last minute DUI info release made up 4% for Gore in the final 2 days.
We already know this year will be very close. The selectee therefore must have some claim on EV from the following, and only the following, states. Ohio, Michigan, Colorado, Iowa and New Mexico.
There is no victory in cowardice and that’s what playing defense with a VP from a red state is. We need to play offense and try to pick off a blue state or at least fight for the middle/uncertain, like those states just mentioned.