Presidential candidate Mitt Romney's possible choices for vice president:

East

• Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey (has endorsed Romney): His regular-guy manner makes him very popular. Despite his personality, it would still be tough for him to deliver a Democratic-leaning New Jersey.

South

• Gov. Bobby Jindal of Louisiana: Very popular and conservative Indian-American governor viewed as a potential presidential candidate in the future.

• Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida (has endorsed Romney): Young, Hispanic and from a key swing state, Rubio is a favorite of the tea party and could be a strong choice for the Romney presidential ticket.

• Gov. Bob McDonnell of Virginia (has endorsed Romney): A popular governor from an important new battleground; his gubernatorial message on jobs and the economy could help win in toss-up states.

Midwest

• Sen. John Thune of South Dakota (has endorsed Romney): He is good-looking and has an almost impeccable conservative reputation, but he may not be enthusiastic about taking on the vice presidency.

• Former Gov. Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota (has endorsed Romney): Very loyal but lacks charisma. He would be a safe pick but might not generate excitement for Romney among the GOP base or with independents.

• Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin (has endorsed Romney): Although heavily courted to join the presidential contest, he turned it down. Beloved by the policy-wonk side of the GOP, he may still not be interested in the race.

• Gov. Mitch Daniels of Indiana: He has a national reputation for speaking uncomfortable truths on debt and spending issues. He could have been a presidential-campaign favorite but decided not to run.

• Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio (has endorsed Romney): A safe pick who helped lead Romney's Ohio primary victory. He is an expert on budget matters but was part of the Bush administration, which ballooned national debt.

West

• Gov. Susana Martinez of New Mexico: The first Hispanic female governor in the country, Martinez has issued a firm denial of any interest in being vice president. She is the guardian of a developmentally disabled sister and says it would be "devastating" to separate her from the rest of their family.