Politics Odds: The Secretary of State Gameshow

Historically, the selection process for Secretary of State occurs in private, tucked away from the public eye. Well, not anymore. Donald Trump has turned the search for Secretary of State into a reality show where the candidates are paraded around for the media to scrutinize and gawk at.

Previously, there were only four major candidates: Mitt Romney, the 2012 Republican nominee and fierce critic of Trump; Rudy Giuliani, former New York Mayor and dedicated Trump loyalist; Bob Corker, a senator from Tennessee; and David Petraeus, disgraced former director of the C.I.A.

Now, after three weeks of speculation, Donald Trump’s team announced that they were expanding the field and floated a couple more names into the mix.

Here’s a look at the front-runners and their odds on being appointed Secretary of State.

Odds to be appointed as Trump’s Secretary of State

Mitt Romney: 3/1

It is rumored that Trump is enamored with Romney’s statesmanlike demeanor, from his looks right down to his voice. He’s also very qualified for the job, having been Governor of Massachusetts and a nominee for the presidency.

But his selection would split the Trump transition team, many of whom view Romney as a traitor and the embodiment of everything wrong with the Republican establishment.

John Bolton: 4/1

John Bolton is a new name being floated for Secretary of State. He’s a low-key figure who has served in several Republican administrations, including as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations under George W. Bush. His selection would extend an olive branch to the Republican establishment without alienating Trump’s outsider base.

Rudy Giuliani: 22/3

Rudy Giuliani has been a fiercely loyal supporter of Trump from the very start and was considered the front-runner for Secretary of State until recently when it was revealed that his business ties within the Middle East may pose serious conflicts of interest. But Trump has faced similar criticism, himself, and may not think much of the matter. Giuliani continues to be one of the favorites.

David Petraeus: 9/1

David Petraeus was a highly decorated four-star general before becoming the Director of the CIA. He was forced to resign before pleading guilty to a charge of mishandling classified information. Petraeus would be an interesting choice for Trump after he spent the last year calling for Hillary Clinton to be jailed for also mishandling classified information.

Bob Corker: 91/9

Bob Corker is one of the few candidates that would be supported by both Republicans and Democrats. After a handful of controversial nominations, Trump may want to pick a Secretary of State who will act as a unifying force between him and the political class. He’s a moderate and a longtime Washington insider.

Rex W. Tillerson: 19/1

Rex Tillerson is the CEO of Exxon Mobil Corporation and, like Trump, is a man with no political experience. His name recently entered the mix for Secretary of State and it seems like Trump is seriously considering him.

Photo credit: “Mitt Romney – Presumptive Nominee” by DonkeyHotey, CC BY-SA 2.0 [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0], via Flickr.