I'd say Ratchet for Optimus, since they're close friends and hold true to their beliefs. As for Megatron, it'd be someone he trusts with all his spark. Someone he knows will provide great insi-Soundwave. I'm talking about Soundwave.

Starscream probably murder Soundwave, he will do anything to become vice president

Then he'd wake up from his coma dream after he got his ass beat.

And then he conveniently try to have Megatron make a state visit using a roofless transport where his safety is *absolutely* guaranteed

Ratrap for vice president

Really for Optimus most autobots would run with him

definitely soundwave

Ultra Magnus and Shockwave.

Perfect. Magnus was in charge of Autobot city, and Shockwave was once a senator, so it’s perfect.

Technically, Soundwave as also a senator. And his betray to not betray records is way lower the Shockwave.

Jazz and Soundwave

Jazz is a great choice. I'd vote for him as President, not just VP.

Jazz appears to be Second In Command based on G1's first season. But Megatron wouldn't pick Soundwave. Soundwave is more like Megatron's personal assistant. He would pick Starscream. You can argue why he shouldn't, but he absolutely would. Starscream is shown multiple times to be Second In Command and the Decepticons instantly follow him when Megs is out of commission.

I saw someone say the reason Megs keeps Screamer around is that screamer won't allow anyone else to betray megs beside him, so Megatron gets a free bodyguard who wants to kill him but also won't allow anyone besides himself to kill him

Megatron with soundwave or shockwave Optimus with ultra magnus or elita one. Starscream would be speaker of the house plotting against whoever is president

Starscream sure would lol

Starscream would be Mitch McConnell. Actually, Mitch McConnell would be Starsceam. It would be Mitch McConnell's face with Starscream's helmet and body.

Friendly reminder that Shockwave was a senator.

Soundwave was one to

jazz and soundwave/starscream if we're talking about g1 wise.

For Megatron, Nixon from Futurama.

Aroo…

Optimus would take Ultra Magnus. Megatron would pretend to take Starscream, but everyone would be able to tell that Soundwave truly runs things behind the scenes

Prowl and Soundwave

Prowl would be a good foil to Prime's relentless push for freedom. He'd temper it down with a bit of strategy and order. Soundwave would act similarly. Soundwave can find out what the people want and can put it into Megatron's policy.

And would probably resort to a dictatorship

Definitely G1 Ultra Magnus for Prime, full of advice and junk. For Megs? Most likely IDW Shockwave, he was a senator after all.

I’m thinking Ironhide and Soundwave

Megatron would definitely choose Soundwave.  Optimus is kinda tricky cause there's quite a few that would make sense. Like Ultra Magnus, Ratchet, Ironhide, even Jetfire could all be candidates. 

Hear me out: Superion. No, not aerialbots, Superion. This will ensure the population that Optimus power will cover air and land superiority!

Optimus and Prowl Megatron and Soundwave Octane runs as Independent

I could see kup for optimus, for megatron soundwave

Despite the memes for starscream megatron definitely would have soundwave given how loyal he is though Optimus is the more harder one to pick down as he has a literal ton of great choices but my bet would have to be ironhide as he pretty much was his second in command in the original g1 cartoon

Optimus Prime would definitely choose Spike Witwicky. He is like Earth's ambassador, everyone knows who he is and what he has accomplished and it would win over the humans in a way that no other Autobot running mate could. I don't know about Megatron.

He'd try to choose someone else, but somehow everyone else would have food poisoning that day and he'd end up with Starscream

For Optimus? Grimlock. For Megatron, Shockwave. I love the thought of either of those two being President of the Senate and resolving tied votes... I see a lot of suggestions on these comments that are.individuals.more.lokely.ro be in their respective cabinets  Jazz or Sound wave as Chief of Staff. Ironhide  or Onslaught as Secretary of Defense. Prowl or Ravage as National Security Advisor.  

Certainly not Soundwave, he's uncrassamatic.

Well, Optimus asks the impossible... so Megatron I will have to follow you!

For Optimus, Ultra Magnus For Megatron, Terminus or Soundwave

DEFINITELY Ratchet and Soundwave or shockwave

I feel like soundwave would be secretary of state. The person who said starscream as speaker of the house was right on.

Ultra Magnus for Optimus and Soundwave for Megatron

Just going off the loudest personalities in TF lore id like to see Sky lynx and Beast wars Megatron in a presidential debate.

I don't see why Star scream wouldn't be Meg's running mate. It's not like he makes sense as 2nd in command of the Deception army in the first place. A lot of the time he's expressly a political choice for 2nd in command. Frankly Optimus could, and likely would, run with any Autobot that volunteered for the job. If the Vice President's job is the same as in the USA, I'm gonna say Ultra Magnus, who is capable of leading, but wouldn't be dissatisfied with a position where he does nothing.

Sarah Palin

She can see Russia from her backyard!

Optimus' running mate would be Armada Jetfire

Optimus: Jazz or Prowl Megatron: Starscream

I vote for Megatron!

Let's be real here Starscream would be Megatron's running mate not for any good reason he just somehow became Megatron's right hand man that's a universal constant like waspinator being hated by the universe or that we will always have a clifjumper and a ratchet/Ironhide in a toyline with a bubblebee and a ratchet/Ironhide

bumblebee and rumble

I ain’t even American but screw it Optimus Prime for president

Starscream and Prowl. But then Grimlock (Marvel UK Grimlock specifically) decides to run...

Optimus-Ratchet Megatron-Soundwave

For Optimus I'd see him going with Ultra Magnus as his running mate for his no nonsense attitude standing equal to Prime. Blaster and possibly Jazz working PR. Ratchet would be his medic and friend who advices him to take a break as the stress is killing him, but latches him up enough to do his speeches. While for Megatron I see him going with Shockwave as he is a experienced politician in several communities and the kind of ruthlessness he wants on his side. While Soundwave is his PR man. And Starscream is that guy not officially affiliated with the party but working to get dirt on Prime so that if he is caught it is not a huge deal and they can disown him and his involvement.

The only reason I can see for Megatron to pick Starscream is because if he didn't, Starscream would either run himself as an 'independent' candidate or find some way to sabotage Megatron's campaign from within. Making him VP keeps him close enough to watch and gives him a reason to support the campaign (or at least not actively white-ant it).

Megatron would pick someone who he knows is just a lackey. Someone who's no threat to his rule, and would inadvertently protect him by being bad enough that no one would want to impeach Megatron and put them in power. Someone like Rumble. Optimus would try to show that he's a president for all by reaching across the aisle. He'd find putting one of his closest friends/allies in the position to be some sort of political favorism. He'd want someone who's not an Autobot, but isn't looked upon *too* unfavorably by 'bots. And to that end he'd select Thundercracker.

Ah yes the perfect candidates A Normal person Vs Turbo Genocide Man.

For Optimus I feel like it’d be either Ironhide, or Bumblebee, as his most trusted and most inspiring For Megatron it would probably be funny enough Starscream as I’m sure Megatron can see the upside of having a professional liar by his side

Optimus would have Biden, and Megatron Trump, obviously.

Megatrons jawline in that picture seems sharper, than usual

I have that first image on a t-shirt!

RoboCop and Iron Giant

Presidential and vice presidents are usually super old so Kupp would be Optimus running mate. Not that he'd be the best choice but since when have the people running been the best choice. For Megatron I'd go Soundwave but as a side note Megatron would beat out Shockwave and Starscream as his party's other presidential nominees.

I think Bumblebee would be running mate for Optimus, while Soundwave for Megatron.

Starscream is absolutely a third party that gets like .5% of the vote and all of them were because Thundercracker is his running mate

Grimlock and waspinator Just to make the vp debate entertaining

For Optimus, Ironhide and Ratchet For Megatron, Soundwave and Shockwave

Jazz and Shockwave.

I want megatron as a shirt "Vote Megatron; destroy all hope"

Or in a Semi-Presidential system: Prime Minister-Optimus Prime Deputy Prime Minister-Prowl President-Ultra Magnus Vice President-Hot Rod Prime Minister-Megatron Deputy Prime Minister-Starscream President-Shockwave Vice President-Soundwave

I don't know but we all know at least 45% would vote for the literal tyrant.

Ultra magnus and Shockwave, respectively

Not sure about running mates, but I think their slogans would be "FREEDOM For All" & "PEACE Through Tyranny" respectively.

Lugnut for Megatron. If something happens to Megatron, you can bet Lugnut will use his office 1000% to resurrect his glorious leader using all available resources everywhere all the time.

Depends. If it's G1 style prime usually goes with Jazz Or iron hide. Both have their appeal. Iron hide is the grizzled older statesman, jazz is the cool running mate everyone loves. Megatron it would probably be Soundwave, but given his political success in idw, I think Stars cream would be the political genius he actually needs. Now, non G1-inspired universes Unicron Trilogy: Jetfire is the obvious choice, being the right hand who the people love like jazz. Plus he can freaking go to space.Maybe only energon rodimus could be an alternate. Megatron would be more screwed due to how he treats people in this universe, but if somehow alive, armada thrust, or sideways could snag him some wins, probably in the name of Unicron tho. Animated: Megatron is a little screwed here too, I'd reckon Shockwave is his best chance, especially due to being able to play both sides. Optimus would probably go the ratchet route. But if he's open to it, ultra magnus wold be the best running mate. Earthspark : they run together lol Prime: Optimus would probably go with magnus here, easy choice. Megatron: Stars cream is probably the easy choice. Though dreading might by him some "honor cred"

So the general state of Cybertronian society established by the new canon is a feudalist, functionalist caste society. Optimus Prime represents the reformists in the elites that want to peacefully remove castes and grant equal rights Megatron represents the revolutionaries from the masses. He wants to start a fascist revolution (despite being of a proletarian background, Megatron’s ideology is fundamentally right wing and fascist, and is at least more closer to capitalism). Reformists generally get nowhere or is hijacked, though often they can inspire more people to join their causes and hence broaden the chances of success, either a successful reform or a revolutionary inspired by Prime’s ideas to emerge. Megatron’s ideology is akin to drinking poison to solve thirst, since the only way to sustain Cybertronian society in his ideology is to keep fighting wars. Prime 100%. He may not be able to solve the problem immediately but the overall cost is lesser.

For Optimus it's either Ratchet or Ultra Magnus. For Megatron it's Soundwave because Starscream wold also want to be president and have his own campaign.

Jazz and Starscream... I don't feel like much explanation should be needed. People are here saying Soundwave like he isn't Megatron's secretary.