Recently, as Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders battled it out in in the key state of Ohio a politician named Ryan made a major impression.
No, it wasn’t Paul Ryan the Republican Speaker of the House, but Tim Ryan, a strapping 6ft 4 inch congressman who played a major part in Hillary’s victory.
Ryan also appeared with Hillary in Youngstown, Ohio, at a local Irish pub where Hillary downed about half of a pint glass of Guinness, the most widely photographed occasion of that campaign.
“Let’s just say the Irish will put her over the top!” Ryan shouted at one point.
At 42, Ryan, who is a dedicated meditation and mindfulness expert and has written books on the topic, is a fast riser in Congress.
How fast? Politico reported that, “On the House side, sources close to the Clinton campaign on Capitol Hill say Ohio's Ryan... could be poised to join a Clinton administration.
“I think Tim is a prospect either for vice president or certainly in the Cabinet if he were to desire it,” said one influential congressman.
Ryan has also begun to burnish his Irish credentials. He issued the Irish American proclamation in the House this St.Patrick’s Day.
"Nearly 44 million Americans celebrate Irish origins, and with good cause," said Congressman Ryan.
"From the earliest stages of our nation's history, Irish-Americans have toiled to contribute to many aspects of American life, including industry, agriculture, science, education and the arts. I'm pleased that my House colleagues voted to honor Irish-Americans and their contributions to our nation's heritage, " he stated.
He will face tough Irish opposition if it comes to it. Senator Tim Kaine from the key state of Virginia, and a former governor is the definite frontrunner.
Kaine is the son of Mary Kathleen (née Burns) and Albert Alexander Kaine, Jr., who worked as a welder and owned a small iron-working shop. Raised a Catholic, his father is of Scottish and Irish descent, and his mother is of Irish ancestry.
He attended Harvard Law School, taking a year-long break during his time there to work with the Jesuit order as a Catholic missionary in Honduras, and is fluent in Spanish as a result.
Kaine is a rightful favorite. He's from a key state, has Spanish language skills and is a devoted Catholic, all of which give him enormous traction within the Clinton campaign.
A third candidate is former Maryland governor Martin O’Malley whose unsuccessful run for the top job ended after a very disappointing showing. O’Malley is an outside shot. But Joe Biden got miserable numbers too when he ran against Obama and Hillary in 2008 and was still selected by Obama, so it is not impossible,
A real dark horse might be Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, who has huge approval figures in his home state. He played the key role in Hillary’s primary victory in that state which came at a vital time. Walsh, working-class Irish with a major union background, would play very well with the white male Reagan/Democrats who are a key swing vote.
And then there's Joe Biden. The current incumbent is highly unlikely, but he performed very well in the job for Obama. Irish Catholics from the Northeast deliver key states such as Pennsylvania but there is real tension between the Clintons and Bidens. A total longshot.
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