“First, do no harm”
The Hippocratic Oath is the prime directive for doctors, but to us it also provides good guidance for vice presidential selection. Running mates often make very little difference in the election one way or the other, which can be an argument for making a safe, noncontroversial selection. …
But as Hillary Clinton considers her options for the second slot on her ticket, she has to consider not only the harm that could be done to her November prospects by a poor selection — she has to also be concerned about the harm done to her governing prospects. That’s because many of her best potential running mates are members of the U.S. Senate, and selecting one of them could imperil a future Democratic Senate majority — either in 2017 or beyond. CONT.
Larry J. Sabato, Kyle Kondik & Geoffrey Skelley, Sabato’s Crystal Ball