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People and Politics by Patrick Roberts

Why Mitt Romney needs to pick a woman VP in order to win

Posted on Monday, July 23, 2012 at 08:41 AM

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Kelly Ayotte with Mitt Romney

Mitt Romney should pick his Vice Presidential nominee this week before the Olympics start—and he should choose a woman.

The underlying weakness of the Romney campaign is that women do not like him as much as men.

He leads comfortably with males but is almost ten points behind with females. Even more than with Hispanics, a female pick allows him to pick up several percentage points.

His position is par for the course for Republicans in recent elections, where a huge gender gap has developed.

For Romney to close that gap and put himself in position to win in November he needs to up the ante.

Picking a woman would achieve that goal.

There is one qualified woman by all accounts in the mix—New Hampshire senator Kelly Ayotte.

As the Boston Globe recently wrote: “Now, Ayotte, less than two years into her first Senate term, hailing from one of the smallest states in the nation, is being considered as a serious contender for the vice presidency, aided by a profile potentially helpful to the ticket.

“She has firmly established conservative bona fides but appeals to independents with a biography that her boosters call grounded and “normal”—a mother of two who lives in her hometown and is married to a landscaper who flew combat missions during the Iraq War.”

In other words, think Sarah Palin without all the problems, an Italian American who graduated Villanova and who in a scant two years has shown she can operate on a national stage.

Sure, geographically her choice looks skewed with Romney essentially from a neighboring state. But in a year where grey and greyer is the distinguishing mark of Romney’s potential running mate, she adds a dash of color and verve to an otherwise boring process.

And if there is one thing Romney knows about it is boring.

Now that Chris Christie, his obvious choice, is out of the running, Ayotte looks the best of the rest.

The question is, will Romney have the gambler’s instinct to pick her?

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eiriamach | Jul 26, 2012, 06:35 AM EDT

Men, always looking for women to rescue them when they get into trouble! But running alongside Romney would end the political career of any woman who counts on women's votes to get elected. Romney needs a running mate with nothing to lose. I suggest that he bring Constance A. Morella out of retirement to run for VP. She was Representative from Maryland from 1987 to 2003. She's a dedicated centrist who tried to stop the drift of the Republican Party toward the far right. She'd raise Romney's likeability rating. As Eleanor Holmes Norton of Washington, D.C. once said, “Everybody loves Connie." Even Democrat voters in Maryland liked her because she tried to halt the polarization that began in Congress during the '90s and unseated her in 2003. Bring back Connie and save the GOP!

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Cyn | Jul 24, 2012, 04:47 PM EDT

What I'd like to know is why my comment posted under someone else's name? I posted this comment yesterday: pilib04 | Jul 23, 2012, 11:12 AM EDT What a load of sexist drivel. It's not the gender of the candidates, it's their social policies that are killing the Republican party. Women don't vote for women for their girly bits. We vote issues like health care, abortion, birth control, education, equal rights. That includes women who traditionally vote republican. The Republican party has been hijacked by right wing extremists that make Eisenhower, Goldwater and Reagan look like liberals in comparison. Not pilib04, me.

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trconnors | Jul 24, 2012, 01:11 PM EDT

I suggest he just put a dress and lipstick on that cow gov. from NJ and all will be well!!!!!!!

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alisaann | Jul 23, 2012, 10:58 PM EDT

having a female VP running mate,is NOT going to work either...and if women DO happen to vote for this guy, simply because he has a woman on the ticket...their STUPID...this guy wants to TAKE AWAY WOMEN'S RIGHTS...he wants to TAKE EVERYONE'S RIGHTS, except those of the RICH....he's NOT FOR EQUAL "CIVIL HUMAN RIGHTS". ALISA

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JBRAFTREE | Jul 23, 2012, 05:31 PM EDT

Sure did the Hero a lot of good the last election didn't it?

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borefield | Jul 23, 2012, 03:43 PM EDT

Pray Patrick, did St. Patrick himself whisper that little clue in your ear? I think I read IC mostly to see what other outrageous, stupid reporting most of you do. It's fun sometimes and downright embarrassing at others.

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Nicomax | Jul 23, 2012, 12:38 PM EDT

Why second fiddle? We should have had a woman POTUS some time ago, and we missed the best chance we had with a well-qualified woman in 2008, but went for something totally new, and different. Women are 50% of the population, better educated, and less likely to be trapped in the macho, "must win every fight" mentality.

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CelticQueenUSA | Jul 23, 2012, 12:36 PM EDT

He could pick who? Palin, Grosswoman???? He could pick a baboon and GOP will back him but I am going BLUE!!!!

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PhlutiePhan | Jul 23, 2012, 12:22 PM EDT

There is no doubt that the VP choice is a critical one. Pennsylvania (20), Ohio (18), Florida (29) all appear very critical with Virginia (13), North Carolina (15) right behind. Exit polls in PA in 2008 showed that the black vote cancelled out the outstate vote. Anti-Palin women decided PA and thus the entire election. Men are decidedly for Romney. Pro-abortion women are not. Obama has gathered a winning coallition in "radical women, non whites, non heterosexuals". Heaven help us all.

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katieherk | Jul 23, 2012, 12:07 PM EDT

No way, that would be political suicide!!! We're not ready for a woman yet... in the future, yes, but not now. No one woman that would help his ticket!

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pilib04 | Jul 23, 2012, 11:41 AM EDT

Romney would certainly not be hurting himself by selecting a female running mate. However, will it really make a difference. Geraldine Ferraro didn't make a difference. Fact is, there would have to be a major shift in the Electoral Vote in order to defeat the President. Obama could easily lose the popular vote to Romney, but his lead in the Electoral vote is solid. Is feidir linn.

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Cyn | Jul 23, 2012, 11:12 AM EDT

What a load of sexist drivel. It's not the gender of the candidates, it's their social policies that are killing the Republican party. Women don't vote for women for their girly bits. We vote issues like health care, abortion, birth control, education, equal rights. That includes women who traditionally vote republican. The Republican party has been hijacked by right wing extremists that make Eisenhower, Goldwater and Reagan look like liberals in comparison.

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susan724 | Jul 23, 2012, 11:04 AM EDT

it really doesn't matter - Mitt Romney is the "Sarah Palin" of the 2012 elections - bad karma.

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wjb1tex | Jul 23, 2012, 10:23 AM EDT

Two New England candidates? Doesn't make sense to me.

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tom/peggy | Jul 23, 2012, 10:07 AM EDT

Sure make his selection as the Olympics start. What do you take him for? He'll make a good choice and President Obama will have his hands full.

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