Sen. John McCain appears headed for the nomination of his party. Now the talk is of who he might choose to join him on the Republican ticket. </p><p>Who would you choose? </p><p>Below are some of the people bandied about so far.</p><p><ul class="related_list square"></p><p><li>Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice: Would bring gender and racial balance, indicating a new GOP, but also closely linked to President Bush and Iraq problems.</li></p><p><li>Florida Gov. Charlie Crist: Stepped in to endorse him a crucial moment; big, big state (where he has sky high approval ratings) to keep in Republican column. But he is divorced and single, which might cause social conservative angst.</li></p><p><li>Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee: Some see his continuing in the race as trying to leverage his way onto the ticket, but is he hurting his chances by firing up social conservatives against McCain; his choice would dismay fiscal conservatives and perhaps drive away some independents</li></p><p><li>South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford: Young, a governor and a southerner, he's called the rare GOP politician who can appeal to both fiscal and social conservatives; charasmatic, but his renegade tendencies have rubbed many in his party the wrong way.</li></p><p><li>Texas Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison: Again, a gender-balanced ticket, with a hugely popular politician from a huge state. Conservatives, however, gripe about her support of legalized abortions and embryonic stem cell research.</li></p><p><li>Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue: Would help in the south as well as his populous state where he cruised to a second term in ’06, against a strong Democratic tide. He did well with African-American voters, but that's worth a pint of warm spit against Barack Obama. He's also been dragging around some controversy on some personal land deals.</li></p><p><li>South Dakota Sen. John Thune: A national GOP hero when he knocked off Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle" in ’04; he's only 47, which might offset voters’ concerns about electing a septuagenarian, but not many November votes are hiding in the Dakotas. Also, not exactly "Mr. Excitement."</li></p><p><li>Connecticutt Sen. Joe Lieberman: Yes, he's still a Democrat, but he's supported McCain's Iraq stand and would represent something fresh: a unity ticket. But yeah, he's still a Democrat.</li></p><p><li>Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty: Winning two terms in this Midwestern swing state provide a compelling argument for the 48-year-old, but would he assure any conservatives?</li></p><p><li>Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush: Likeable politican from a crucial swing state; but carries a now-questionable brand.</li></p><p><li>Oklahoma Sen. Tom Coburn: Like McCain, an energetic battler of congressional pork, this sometimes controversail doctor will energize the social conservatives, but would his famous safe-sex lectures erupt on the campaign trail?.</li></p><p><li>North Carolina Sen. Richard Burr: Hand picked by Karl Rove to run for John Edwards' seat, this descendant of Arron Burr (who was a vice president) has some buzz going for him in the party, but is unknown outside.</li></p><p><li>Former Ohio Rep. Rob Portman: Has strong experience in budget and trade matters in the Bush administration; is only 52, and did we mention he's from super swing state Ohio? He says he doesn't want it, is looking at a run at governor or Senate.</li></p><p><li>South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint: Fiscal conservatives like him as a strong believer in free-market solutions, but did endorsing Mitt Romney hurt him?</li></p><p><li>Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal: A rising star in the Party, another young southern governor, but perhaps too new, to inexperiened for the big show.</li></p><p><li>Indiana Rep. Mike Pence: Over seven years in Congress, Pence has "established himself as a principled, determined conservative" who is an "active defender" of political speech, and voted against the McCain-Feingold campaign-finance restrictions.</li>