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This article lists those who were potential candidates for the Republican nomination for Vice President of the United States in the 2000 election. On March 7, 2000, Governor George W. Bush of Texas won a majority of pledged delegates for the Republican nomination for President of the United States, and became the presumptive nominee.
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On July 25, 2000, Bush announced former Congressman and Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney as his vice-presidential running mate, at an event held at the University of Texas' Frank Erwin Center in Austin, Texas.
Selection process
George Bush had initially chosen Dick Cheney to lead the search for his vice president. In 1992, Bush had supported Cheney as a replacement for Dan Quayle on his father's ultimately unsuccessful national ticket. After Cheney, who was serving as CEO of Halliburton, reported his findings back to Bush, Bush surprised pundits by asking Cheney himself to be his running mate. Bush told supporters that regional considerations would have less bearing on his decision than the candidate's ability to take over the office of the presidency. At the selection announcement, Bush said that Cheney, who had worked under all five presidential administrations between 1969 and 1993, was qualified, respected and shared his vision for America.
On Bush's shortlist was Secretary Tom Ridge of Pennsylvania, Former Senator John Danforth of Missouri, eventual 2008 presidential nominee and Senator John McCain of Arizona, Governor George Pataki of New York, and Dick Cheney. After more than three months of extensive research, Cheney recommended John Danforth to be the nominee, as the other choices' strengths were offset by liberal stances. Bush heavily considered Danforth, but ultimately asked Cheney himself to be the nominee. By picking Cheney, Bush had a running mate who had years of experience as well as an extensive foreign policy expertise.
Media speculation on George W. Bush's possible running-mates
After his selection by Republican primary voters as presumptive presidential nominee, Bush asked Dick Cheney to lead the selection committee for his vice president nominee. As the vice presidential vetter, Cheney required at least 11 potential candidates to fill out “an extraordinarily detailed, 83-question form” delving into their backgrounds. This list includes names that had been mentioned in several sources as the candidates: