Hillary Clinton’s Vice President: 5 Possible Running Mates

Sherrod Brown

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Prediction Markets: 11 percent

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Background:

The prediction markets increased Sherrod Brown’s chances of making Clinton's ticket from nine to eleven percent, placing him in the top five potential candidates for VP for the second consecutive week. An issue that Brown and Clinton both feel strongly about is gun control. The Ohio senator spoke twice during last week's 15-hour filibuster led by Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy in the wake of the Orlando gay club massacre. Brown shared an emotional perspective, recounting personal stories of hearing gunshots growing up in Cleveland and reading letters from constituents. He called on the Senate to act.
"How do we go home and look people in the eye and say we failed again?" he said, adding, "How do I go back to Cleveland and say, 'Well, we tried it again. We didn't do it, it's not that big a deal if people can't fly on an airplane, they still ought to be able to get a gun.' How do we possibly look people in the eye and answer that question?"

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Brown has repeatedly said he is not interested in serving as vice president. He told The Hill last week that in all his conversations with the Clinton campaign, "I've never talked about vice president." Still, Brown is an attractive candidate. He has two qualities that political pundits say Clinton needs in a running mate: the ability to help win a battleground state, and a progressive appeal. He has served as a senator since 2007, and is from Ohio, a crucial swing state. Brown has populist appeal and could help secure Ohio. The senator has a strong progressive voting record. He's voted repeatedly against measures banning same-sex marriage, and he's proposed legislation that would break up the big banks. Brown has come out against the Obama administration’s trade agenda. “In many ways he’s the perfect pick,” said David Pepper, chairman of the Ohio Democratic Party. “If you want to win the White House, you have to win Ohio.” However, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid has been less enthused about the idea because Democrats are hoping to take back the Senate majority this year. If Brown joins as Clinton’s running mate, and they win November’s election, then Republican Gov. John Kasich will appoint a replacement to finish his remaining two years. That replacement will most likely be a Republican. (Getty)