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Sabato: Rubio Should Offer Kasich VP Spot Now
Sunday, February 21, 2016 09:06 AM
By: Greg Richter
To have any hope of stopping the Donald Trump train and capturing the nomination himself, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio should publicly offer Ohio Gov. John Kasich the vice presidential slot, says Larry Sabato, head of the University of Virginia's Center for Poltics.
Writing on his Sabato's Crystal Ball website after Saturday's South Carolina primary, Sabato notes that Ronald Reagan made a similar move in 1976 promising to name Pennsylvania Sen. Richard Schweiker as his running mate, "and while it didn’t work out, Reagan shook up conventional wisdom."
If Rubio can get Kasich out of the race following Saturday night's withdrawal by former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, the majority of both candidates' supporters likely would flow to him, Sabato argues.
That would put him in a three-way contest with Trump and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and could enable him to actually start winning first place in some states.
"However, Kasich seems inclined to continue to run, and the Republican power brokers who favor a Rubio-Kasich ticket probably won’t take the risks necessary to make this happen," Sabato says.
Kasich may still be able to compete in Massachusetts and Michigan, then win Ohio, but he isn't able to win in enough states to make a real stab at the nomination, Sabato said.
"Most mainstream Republicans will sooner or later move to Rubio, but will it be soon enough?" he writes. "He can’t keep on finishing second or third — or fifth, as he did in New Hampshire. You have to start winning, but where?"
