1984 Democratic Party vice presidential candidate selection

This article lists those who were potential candidates for the Democratic nomination for vice president of the United States in the 1984 election. Former Vice President Walter Mondale won the 1984 Democratic nomination for president of the United States, and chose New York Representative Geraldine Ferraro as his running mate. Ferraro was the first woman to be a part of a national ticket for a major party. Mondale chose Ferraro in hopes of energizing the base and winning the votes of women, but also because he viewed her as a solid legislator who had won the approval of Speaker Tip O'Neill.^[1] The Mondale–Ferraro ticket ultimately lost to the Reagan–Bush ticket. This is the last time the Democratic vice presidential nominee was not the incumbent vice president or a senator, and, not counting the times when the incumbent president (and by extension, the incumbent vice president) was running for re-election, the last time the Democratic vice presidential nominee was not a senator.

1984 Democratic vice presidential nomination

← 1980 July 16, 1984 (1984-07-16) 1988 →

Nominee Geraldine Ferraro Home state New York

Previous Vice Presidential nominee Walter Mondale Vice Presidential nominee Geraldine Ferraro

Speculation

On December 10, 1983, the Alabama Legislative Black Caucus endorsed Mondale for president and Jesse Jackson for vice president.^[2]

George McGovern supported selecting Gary Hart as the vice presidential nominee.^[3]

Cecil Andrus, the co-chair of Mondale's presidential campaign, stated that he should pick a woman to serve as his running mate. He suggested Pat Schroeder, Geraldine Ferraro and Dianne Feinstein.^[4]

Selection

John R. Reilly, an attorney and a senior adviser to Mondale, managed the search for a running mate.^[5] Mondale seriously considered Hart, but Mondale refused to consider a second rival, Jesse Jackson, on the grounds that the differences between their policies were too great.^[6]

Mondale conducted interviews with Feinstein and Lloyd Bentsen.^[7] The National Organization for Women demanded that a woman be selected.^[8]

Finalists

^[6]

•  
  Mayor of Los Angeles
  Tom Bradley
  from California
  (1973–1993)
•  
  Mayor of San Antonio
  Henry Cisneros
  from Texas
  (1981–1989)
•  
  Mayor of San Francisco
  Dianne Feinstein
  from California
  (1978–1988)
•  
  Representative
  Geraldine Ferraro
  from New York
  (1979–1985)
•  
  Senator
  Gary Hart
  from Colorado
  (1975–1987)

Media speculation on possible vice presidential candidates

Members of Congress^[9][10][11]

•  
  Senator
  Lloyd Bentsen
  from Texas
  (1971–1993)
•  
  Senator
  Joe Biden
  from Delaware
  (1973–2009)
•  
  Senator
  Bill Bradley
  from New Jersey
  (1979–1997)
•  
  Senator
  Dale Bumpers
  from Arkansas
  (1975–1999)
•  
  Senator
  Chris Dodd
  from Connecticut
  (1981–2011)
•  
  Senator
  John Glenn
  from Ohio
  (1974–1999)
•  
  Senator
  Fritz Hollings
  from South Carolina
  (1966–2005)
•  
  Senator
  Sam Nunn
  from Georgia
  (1972–1997)

Governors^[9][10][11]

•  
  Governor
  Richard Celeste
  from Ohio
  (1983–1991)
•  
  Governor
  Bill Clinton
  from Arkansas
  (1979–1981;1983–1992)
•  
  Governor
  Mario Cuomo
  from New York
  (1983–1994)
•  
  Governor
  Michael Dukakis
  from Massachusetts
  (1975–1979;1983–1991)
•  
  Governor
  Bob Graham
  from Florida
  (1979–1987)
•  
  Governor
  Mark White
  from Texas
  (1983–1987)

Other Individuals^[9][10][11]

•  
  Mayor of Philadelphia
  Wilson Goode
  from Pennsylvania
  (1984–1992)
•  
  Chairman of Chrysler
  Lee Iacocca
  (1979–1992)

See also

• Walter Mondale 1984 presidential campaign
• 1984 Democratic Party presidential primaries
• 1984 Democratic National Convention
• 1984 United States presidential election
• List of United States major party presidential tickets

References

1. Mondale, Walter; Hage, Dave (18 November 2015). "'The Good Fight': Mondale picks Ferraro -- 'A nation is stronger when it can tap all its talents'". Minnesota Post. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
2. "Blacks and NOW endorse Mondale". Sioux City Journal. June 13, 1984. p. A1. from the original on February 13, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
3. "Mondale wins endorsement by McGovern". The Des Moines Register. June 13, 1984. p. 1A. from the original on February 13, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
4. "Andrus urges female Demo running mate". South Idaho Press. June 10, 1984. p. 3. from the original on February 20, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
5. Weinraub, Bernard (13 June 1984). "MONDALE OUTLINES JOB QUALITIES IN RUNNING MATE". New York Times. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
6. Weinraub, Bernard (11 July 1984). "MONDALE TO NAME HIS RUNNING MATE IN ST. PAUL TODAY". New York Times. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
7. "Mondale begins VP candidate interviews". The Des Moines Register. June 16, 1984. p. 9A. from the original on February 13, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
8. Ranney 1985, p. 116.
9. Raines, Howell (8 June 1984). "MONDALE TURNING ATTENTION TO HUNT FOR RUNNING MATE". New York Times. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
10. Goldstein, Joel (26 July 2012). "Yogi Berra and Veepstakes". University of Virginia Center for Politics. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
11. Sigelman, Lee; Wahlbeck, Paul (December 1997). "The "Veepstakes": Strategic Choice in Presidential Running Mate Selection". The American Political Science Review. 91 (4): 858. doi:10.2307/2952169. JSTOR 2952169.

Works cited

• Ranney, Austin, ed. (1985). The American Elections of 1984. Duke University Press. ISBN 0822302306.