Ridge was extremely popular in his district, winning re-election by large margins in 1990 and 1992. In 1994, Ridge was persuaded to run for Governor by state Republicans who were desperate to win the state's top office.

Swept along in the wave of the Republican Revolution, he won easily.

Ridge's popularity among Democrats and Republicans, his easiness with the media and his down-to-earth demeanor made him a national figure in the party. As a Catholic pro-choice governor of a northern state, Ridge, it was assumed, could help candidates gather key votes in Middle America's swing states--even those that were traditional Democratic strongholds.

In 1996, according to published reports, then Sen. Robert Dole (R-Kan.) asked Ridge to be his running mate. Ridge declined.

Fast forward to 2000.

Ridge's name has been bandied about by the political cognoscenti for months. Moderates in the party have floated the idea of a Bush-Ridge ticket, hoping to convince conservatives that Ridge could lure Reagan Republicans back to the party.

To liberals, Ridge's background may seem like an excellent complement to Bush's.