These rumored VP picks for Hillary could make or break her chances

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Who Will Be the Democratic Nominee for Vice President?
Who Will Be the Democratic Nominee for Vice President?

A presidential campaign is full of important decisions; choosing which key issues to focus on, landing on a punchy campaign slogan, or even deciding who is and who is not "low energy." However, arguably the most important choice a party nominee will make is who their running mate will be.

As the Democratic 2016 primary season barrels toward its inevitable end, Hillary Clinton holds a steady if not unbreakable lead over her rival Bernie Sanders, prompting presumptuous rumors about who she might choose as her vice president.

Clinton has a lot to consider as she mulls over this big decision. She could focus on a pick who would help ignite the Democratic base, choose someone to boost her numbers with young voters, or perhaps even name a "House of Cards"-esque bombshell that would likely break the Internet and if not the Constitution.

Click through the full list of potential running mates for Hillary Clinton:

In terms of choices that would provide a jolt to the campaign by exciting liberals, the current U.S. Senator from Massachusetts Elizabeth Warren might be on the top of the list. Warren is popular among progressive Democrats, and is a vociferous and harsh critic of Wall Street. A Warren selection could help wash off the stink of Clinton's infamous Wall Street speaking engagements where she reportedly pocketed hundreds of thousands of dollars.

As enticing as Warren may be to Clinton, there are downsides to such a progressive leaning selection. Warren would ultimately drag the ticket further to the left when presidential nominees tend to gravitate towards the center once the primary season is over. Also, while having an all female ticket would be an extraordinarily bold move for the Dems, it might also test the public's willingness to fully embrace two historic positions for women in politics at the same time.

Clinton could also follow in the footsteps of President Obama and select a former foe from the primary season as her running mate, which Obama ultimately did when he selected Joe Biden back in 2008. Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, with whom she is still currently duking it out, would certainly help boost Clinton's rather anemic connection to college voters. But Sanders' socialist label might be a few too many steps left for a general election ticket to play well with right-leaning swing voters.

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Perhaps a less rousing pick from Clinton's earlier primary days could be former rival Martin O'Malley. The Ex-Maryland governor struggled to make waves or headlines throughout his 2016 campaign, but he could help bring some executive experience as a former governor, along with a slight youthful boost to the ticket.

There are a few big name picks out there that would thrust the Democratic ticket to headline busting new levels. While Joe Biden has ruled out running for president in 2016, he has not yet ruled out staying on as vice president. A long shot of a selection, sure, but Biden's overwhelming popularity among Democrats would likely boost Clinton's chances.

The one selection that might make even Frank Underwood gasp would have to be if Hillary decided to bring back her husband in an official capacity in the White House. While the qualifications of a two-term president are hard to ignore, a Vice President Bill Clinton could inspire legal challenges. It's not clear how the courts would rule on such a decision, but it's been floated once in the past.

While Bill Clinton has the highest name recognition, few expect him to make the ticket. The current front-runner for Hillary Clinton's running mate according to many insiders is Julián Castro. He's served in the Obama administration as the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and is expected to bring Clinton a solid boost with Latino voters if she chooses him.

See Clinton through the years:

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