Romney Might Pick a Female Running Mate

Republican presidential nominee-in-waiting Mitt Romney could choose a woman to be his running mate in the 2012 election, his wife says.

It would be only the third time a woman was nominated for vice president by a major party.

"We've been looking at that, and I love that option as well," Ann Romney told CBS News this week.

So, who's on Romney's list?

See also:

• Poll: Who Would Make the Best Running Mate for Mitt?
• Mitt Romney Bio
• Mitt Romney Tax Returns

Mrs. Romney didn't say specifically, but she described her husband's future running mate as "someone that obviously can do the job but will be able to carry through with some of the other responsibilities."

She said the candidate will have "the same personality type" and be "competent, capable and willing to serve this country. I think there's lots of good people out there that fill that bill right now."

There are lots of men on the list of potential running mates for Romney, including Marco Rubio and Chris Christie, our guide to U.S. Conservative Politics Dustin Hawkins has written.

With Mrs. Romney's hint, though, new speculation has raised the profiles of U.S. Sen. Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire, pictured above; South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley; New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez; former eBay chief executive officer Meg Whitman; U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington; and former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

The only two major-party vice-presidential nominees were Democrat Geraldine Ferraro, who ran with Walter Mondale in 1984, and Republican Sarah Palin, who ran with John McCain in 2008.

Stay tuned.

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[Photo U.S. Sen. Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire / U.S. Senate]