If Mitt Romney is going to have any chance of winning the fall election, his running mate needs to appeal to the groups dismayed by his image during the GOP leadership debates. Romney came off as a rich kid, who’s platform may or may not be an etch-a-sketch. He desperately needs someone to counter this stigma; someone with the following characteristics.

Ethnic

Romney needs the Latino vote and what better way to attain it then to have a Hispanic running mate. With ethnicity at his side, people may just forget Romney’s brutal stance on immigration and his striking resemblance to a piece of white bread.

Self-Made

Mitt’s background doesn’t exactly inspire people. A man born into a wealthy family triumphs to become even richer; doesn’t quite have the same ring as the story of a man or woman who started with nothing and became a big success. Romney’s potential Vice President needs a biography with a real under-dog vibe. He or she should be the Rocky of running mates with better enunciating skills.

Young

Old people are soooo last week. The youth want a younger person to vote for so as not to be completely alienated by the political process. Mitt isn’t the oldest candidate ever, but he does remind everyone of the 50′s in every way possible. A young VP would really help combat that whole Leave it to Beaver image.

Firm Beliefs

Romney has become known for saying anything to get a vote. Even his top aid referred to his campaign as an etch-a-sketch, thoroughly illustrating Mitt’s failing in the eyes of voters. The VP needs to have firm beliefs and stick to them during the fall campaign, or at least be the best etch-a-sketch artist ever.

Female

Republicans don’t have the greatest track record with female voters. Romney hasn’t helped matters much by not defending women against recent attacks on their right to birth control. Having a female running mate could help patch up Romney’s appeal to women, provided the candidate isn’t an idiotic plug like the last time around.

Gay?

The gay vote is a long shot for a Republican, and being supportive of gay culture would probably turn off the crusty core conservatives. Being gay-neutral couldn’t hurt too much and might appeal to the moderates. It might even make for an interesting conservative slogan: “I’m gay-neutral!”.

Well Traveled

Americans love a sense of adventure and Romney doesn’t exactly offer that. If Romney where a a breakfast cereal, he’d be a marriage of cornflakes and the most boring bran cereal on the market (Plain Ole Bran?). His VP needs to be well traveled to really reach out to the American spirit. Well traveled while avoiding any cultural contact or influence of course.

All the previous elements would make for a perfect running mate for Mitt Romney and together, they make the ideal candidate represented below:

Dora the Explorer