Romney Leads Republican VP Odds

Mitt Romney has firmed to 8/11 at British bookmaker Ladbrokes to be chosen as the Republican Party vice-presidential candidate for the 2008 US Presidential Election. There are four clear choices in the betting - Romney, Tim Pawlenty, Sarah Palin and Joe Lieberman.

VP odds
Mitt Romney, 8/11: The Governor of Massachusetts lost out to McCain in the race for the Republican presidential nomination, but now looks set to get a second chance at reaching the White House. A practising Mormon, Romney would bring a more conservative approach to a Republican administration.

Tim Pawlenty, 4/1: The Governor of Minnesota has risen rapidly to second-favoritism, and would also likely bring a similar conservative approach to a Republican federal administration as he has to his government in Minnesota.

Sarah Palin, 8/1: The popular Governor of Alaska would become the first female to run as either president or vice-president, after Hillary Clinton was knocked back by Barack Obama for the Democratic VP position. At 44, she is also relatively young, while holding similar positions on the key issues to Romney and Pawlenty.

Joe Lieberman, 10/1: The same guy who ran for Vice-President as a Democrat in 2000, you ask? In truth, Senator Lieberman's political transformation has not been so surprising - his position on certain issues such as foreign policy has always seen him somewhat popular with Republicans. Lieberman reclaimed his seat as Connecticut's Senate representative as an independent after getting the boot from the Democrats. His nomination could capture the votes of some undecided voters who wouldn't otherwise vote Republican.

Other notable contenders for the Republican VP position include: Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, 25/1, former New York Mayor and ousted presidential contender Rudolph Giuliani, 50/1, current New York mayor Michael Bloomberg, 100/1, and former Secretary of State Colin Powell - who was given odds to be VP candidate on both sides of politics - 100/1.

Road to the White House
With Joe Biden already selected as the Democratic Party VP nominee, the Democrats are ready for battle. Campaigning heads into the home stretch after the Democratic National Convention concludes in Denver, followed by the Republican convention in Minneapolis-St. Paul on September 1-4.

 We'll bring you all the odds on the race to the White House later in the campaign.