The decision by a Manhattan jury to convict Donald Trump on 34 felony charges concocted by a partisan prosecutor has only underscored the importance of who will join the Republican ticket as the vice presidential nominee.

The Thursday verdict has raised the specter that Trump may be imprisoned before Election Day and, at the very least, could be hampered on the campaign trail. Because of this, the individual who will join Trump on the ticket must be a wholehearted believer in his agenda, and who can effectively communicate that vision.