My Personal Stake in the 2024 Election
Where should I locate the Center for Vice Presidential Studies
I have no particular insight on what’s going to happen. I think Harris will win (2/3) and the Dems will take the House (2/3), but probably not hold the Senate (1/3). As for what our prospective Veeps will be like in office, I’ve made some observations here, here, and here. Also, I offer some thoughts on the contemplative balm of the haunting, timeless Ecclesiastes.
Instead, let me offer something fun (or at least quirky.)
I have a very personal stake in this election. It may shape where I locate my future Center for Vice Presidential Studies. Ideally it would be at a school that has produced consequential vice presidents from both parties in a state that has produced consequential vice presidents from both parties. Here are a pair of charts showing where things stand now.

Empire State Veeps
New York state dominates in the production of vice presidents, although their length of service highlights that many of them died in office. While most of the VPs from the Empire State were Republicans (or proto-Republican Whigs or Federalists) two consequential VPs: Aaron Burr and Martin Van Buren were Democrats (or Democratic Republicans.)
The top school linked to VPs in NY is Columbia, where Daniel Tompkins (VP to James Monroe) studied and Teddy Roosevelt went to law school. Neither were consequential as VPs however. An alternative might be Hamilton College, which was the alma mater of Taft’s VP Sunny Jim Sherman. One inconsequential VP doesn’t seem like enough to establish a Center (although if they want to crack open their endowment…) Hamilton, however, is in the town of Clinton, named for George Clinton, VP to Jefferson and Madison. The school’s namesake was also killed by an incredibly important vice president.
Vice Presidents: Indiana’s Top Export
Indiana is a top producer of vice presidents (a topic worthy of exploration in another post.) Its VPs are balanced between Democrats and Republicans. Two Hoosier VPs (Quayle and Pence) were at least arguably important as VPs (at least compared to most of the pre-Mondale occupants of the office). Two schools in Indiana have been the alma maters of two VPs. Both Pence and Quayle went to law school at Indiana University. But Hanover College gave us both Pence and Thomas Hendricks (VP to Grover Cleveland). Founded in 1827, Hanover is Indiana’s first private college and might be a very nice place for a Center for Vice Presidential Studies.
Bay State Veeps
Next in line is Massachusetts, which has given us four vice presidents, but none of any great consequence (as VPs at least.) Two of them died in office. One, John Adams, our first VP, was undoubtedly a great man—but he hated being VP. Of course Harvard is a leading alma mater for VPs and one (Al Gore) was pretty significant. Approximately 1/200th of the annual interest on Harvard’s endowment would completely endow my Center for Vice Presidential Studies from now until the end of time. But also, f*** Harvard, they dominate everything. (But seriously, if you’re interested, call me?)
No surprise that Texas makes big Veeps, but Kentucky?
Kind of surprisingly, Kentucky and Texas have both given us three VPs. You could also count Cheney as a Texan, which he was until he began being seriously considered as the VP pick and relocated to his birth state of Wyoming. Kentucky’s VPs (Richard Mentor Johnson, John C. Breckinridge, and Alben Barkley) were all wonderful characters, but not important VPs. Texas however gave us George H.W. Bush, who was a consequential VP. There is no school in Texas (although two VPs were associated with Centre College in Kentucky) with a major VP association, but Bush 41’s library is at Texas A&M. That being said, Bush 41 did not particularly care to dwell on his time as VP. FDR’s first VP, Texas’ John Nance Garner called the vice presidency, “not worth a bucket of warm piss.” LBJ didn’t think much of the vice presidency either.
New Contenders
So what does the 2024 election mean for my dilemma?
JD Vance would be the fourth VP from Yale (five if you include Cheney who was kicked out of Yale for bad grades). Bush Sr. and John C. Calhoun were both significant VPs (as was Cheney.) The other Yalie VP was Gerald Ford (who attended law school at Yale while working as a coach.) He was not a particularly important VP, although it was at a sensitive time and he acquitted himself well. He was also a very decent man. Although Connecticut hasn’t produced any VPs of its own, a VP Vance would make it a very strong candidate for a Center for Vice Presidential Studies. Yale could of course sweeten the deal, providing 1% of the annual return on their endowment as seed money. Call me?
Then there is Minnesota. Walz would be the third VP from Minnesota. The other two being Walter Mondale, a very significant VP and Hubert Humphrey, who was one of the most decent men in American politics. He had a lousy time as VP under LBJ. All of Minnesota’s VPs will have been Democrats, so party balance is lost. Humphrey taught and Mondale studied at Macalester and University of Minnesota. The latter already has a Hubert Humphrey School of Public Policy and a Walter Mondale Hall at the law school. Minnesota is proud of their VPs and would probably be pleased to host such a Center.
Both Yale in New Haven and University of Minnesota in the Twin Cities seem like nice places to me. I’ll let the voters decide.