A Pennsylvania Governor for VP? Not the first time it’s been proposed

HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) – With Kamala Harris likely to become the new Democratic nominee for President, there’s been a lot of excitement and speculation about who she will pick as her Vice-Presidential running mate.

Much of the speculation focuses on Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, who may or may not be on the short list of candidates. But this is not the first time the Commonwealth’s Chief Executive has been proposed as a Vice-Presidental candidate.

Twenty-four years ago, Governor Tom Ridge was being touted as a possible running mate for George W. Bush after he clinched the Republican nomination for President on March 14, 2000. For the next four months, Bush contemplated while people speculated. But Ridge and Bush had quite different opinions on the issue of abortion, which might have eliminated Ridge as a contender. Finally, on July 25, Bush announced former Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney as his running mate.

These two stories, one by Chris Dixon from June 5, 2000, and one by Debra Pinkerton from July 21, 2000, both examine the issues that might have derailed Ridge’s chances for the VP slot.

A little over a year later, though, Ridge would end up on Bush’s team after all. In fact, he would become one of the most powerful men in the country.

Following the 9/11 attacks in 2001, President Bush announced the creation of the Office of Homeland Security, with Ridge as its first Director, in a speech to Congress on September 20, 2001. Ridge resigned as Governor and was sworn in as Director on October 8, 2001.

In 2003 the Office of Homeland Security became the cabinet-level Department of Homeland Security, and Ridge was sworn in as Secretary on January 24. He would run the department until 2005.

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