4. Brian Kelly, Notre Dame — U.S. President
You can see where this is going: after coaching stops in Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana, the Massachusetts native and Baby Boomer is someone who can bring the Midwest and a certain age range to your side. He could be the talisman for the Catholic vote as the head coach of the nation’s preeminent Catholic university’s football team. And he would not be afraid to point out young staffers’ mistakes. Some may call him overly critical, but he would get the job done as a demanding president.
Kelly may not be the inspiring figurehead that a president can sometimes strive for, but his tenure in South Bend is one of the most impressive ones in the nation. He’s compiled a 231-91-2 as a head coach at numerous stops, including Grand Valley State, Central Michigan and Cincinnati, and he has won multiple national coach of the year awards. He’s also taken the Fighting Irish to two undefeated regular seasons before postseason shellackings by Alabama and Clemson.
A results-driven Kelly could be a strong congressman or president. And, in case you were wondering, yes, The West Wing is an inspiration for Kelly’s future chances.