VPick: We Have A Winner

After six weeks of voting, AllPolitics readers have selected Jack Kemp, a supply-sider and former housing secretary, as the best running mate for Bob Dole.

Kemp defeated Ohio Rep. John Kasich in the final round of VPick, AllPolitics' interactive vice presidential game, by 55-45 percent.

Kemp had some pluses going in, including good name recognition, a right-from-the-start record on taxes and an appeal that crossed party and class lines.

But Kemp also pulled one of the biggest bonehead plays of 1996, endorsing Steve Forbes mere days before the millionaire publisher's campaign went belly up, and somehow managing to irritate both Forbes and Dole, the eventual presumptive nominee, in the process.

To reach VPick's final round, Kemp defeated some heavy-duty Republicans, including Bill Bennett, Forbes, Dick Cheney and John McCain. Even more impressive, Kemp's average winning percentage in the earlier rounds of voting was 70 percent.

Kasich, the boyish House Budget Committee chairman, scored his own string of victories to make it to the final round, beating George Voinovich, Dick Lugar, Tommy Thompson and Sam Nunn (remember the Nunn rumors?).

Thanks to all who participated in VPick. We're brainstorming about our next game, so stay tuned.

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