Clinton’s top five vice presidential picks

Hillary Clinton is nearing the end of a long Democratic primary that will almost certainly leave her as the party’s presidential nominee.

It has also revealed weaknesses that Clinton will need to fix in order to defeat presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump in the fall.

{mosads}Picking the right vice presidential candidate will be a key decision for Clinton as she looks to strengthen her campaign for the fall.

Here are the candidates getting the most buzz in Clintonworld.

Sen. Tim Kaine (Va.)  

The former governor turned senator has become a favorite among Clinton insiders.

They see the centrist as a rising star in the Democratic Party would could help Clinton carry Virginia, a must-win state for Republicans.

Team Clinton likes that Kaine has good ties with the business community, has foreign policy chops and is well-versed in the party apparatus — he is as former chairman of the Democratic National Committee.

Kaine, who was also very high on President Obama’s short-list in 2008, is also well-liked among his peers in the Senate.

“Tim Kaine is the best choice in my mind out of all [the potential candidates for VP.],” said one Democratic strategist. “He has the best quality of being a VP: loyal soldier, no delusion of being POTUS, all the donors love him. Fluent in Spanish, and just a great guy.” 

Clinton’s biggest weakness in the primaries has been with white men, a constituency where Kaine could help her.

He wouldn’t be the most exciting choice, and has views that are similar to Clinton’s — which could be seen as a drawback in some quarters.

Others say that’s not a problem.

“They seem to reflect each other, which is fine,” said Jim Manley, a Democratic strategist and former aide to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.).

Sen. Sherrod Brown (Ohio)

Brown is another name getting a lot of buzz.

He’s a favorite in media circles on the left. No less than MSNBC star Rachel Maddow has hailed Brown as a smart VP pick who would help Clinton connect to white, working-class men.

Brown could obviously be helpful in swing-state Ohio, and Clintonites think Brown’s brand of authentic progressivism could be a hit in other Rust Belt states such as Michigan—where Clinton surprisingly lost the Democratic primary to Bernie Sanders.

A progressive who has been a longtime critic of globalization, he might also bring over some Sanders supporters who are considering staying home on Election Day.

“He would be an attractive counter-balance,” Manley said.

Brown has repeatedly said he is not interested, however, and some people believe him.

Another negative? Ohio Gov. John Kasich would get to choose his replacement, endangering a Democratic Senate majority.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (Mass.) 

No pick — aside perhaps from Sanders himself — would excite the Feel the Bern crown more than Warren.

Team Clinton is more intrigued than ever about a Clinton-Warren ticket, and some strategists say the longer Sanders stays in the race, the more likely Clinton could pick Warren to be her running mate.

Warren remains the only Democratic woman in the Senate who has not endorsed Clinton, an irksome fact to some in Clinton’s orbit.

But Warren’s Twitter war with Trump over the last week has raised her vice presidential stock tremendoustly.

 “@realDonaldTrump: Your policies are dangerous, your words are reckless. Your record is embarrassing. And your free ride is over,” Warren wrote in one recent Tweet.

 “She has turned out to be an amazing surrogate,” said one longtime Clinton ally. “And she knows what she’s doing.”

Labor Secretary Thomas E. Perez

Perez is very well-liked in the White House and maintains a close relationship with Obama chief of staff Denis McDonough.

Many see him as having all the right attributes to fill the ticket and win over progressives.

Unions love him, plus he speaks fluent Spanish could help further drive Latinos to Clinton’s column. 

Perez told reporters this week that he has had “no conversations” about a possible VP role.

Instead, he said, he is focused on his job and “in my spare time” is also helping to elect Clinton. 

Gov. John Hickenlooper (Co.) 

Some in Clintonworld say the Colorado governor’s name should be on any short list.

For starters, a win in Colorado would cement the race for Clinton.

Hickenlooper has also been a loyal soldier to Clinton during the primary, particularly when his state voted for Sanders by nearly 20 percentage points.

Clinton and Hickenlooper spent time together in April when she attended a fundraiser at his home.

Insiders say if he doesn’t get a nod for VP, Clinton will likely consider him for a cabinet position, should she be elected.