Outside the Beltway

Kerry-Vilsach?

James Joyner · Saturday, June 12, 2004 · 1 comment

Bob Novak reports an odd choice emerging for Kerry’s running mate:

The current buzz in the national capital’s high-level Democratic circles has projected that Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack, previously considered a dark horse as John Kerry’s running mate, is now the leading prospect.

Political consultant John Lapp, a former Vilsack aide, is in Washington beating the drums for the governor. One senior aide in the 2000 Gore-for-president campaign flatly predicts a Kerry-Vilsack ticket.

Kerry likes and admires Vilsack and is grateful for the endorsement by Vilsack’s wife, Christie, in the Iowa caucuses at a time when Howard Dean was considered a heavy favorite. However, Vilsack lacks national security expertise, and his experience is limited to Iowa. He was elected governor in 1998 at age 47 after serving as a state senator and mayor of Mount Pleasant.

One would think a virtually unknown from Iowa an odd choice for a national ticket. A major figure from a large swing state certainly makes more sense.