Now that the nominations for both parties are effectively decided, the presidential contest moves on to a new stage – one with new opportunities and dangers for lesbian and gay rights.

The media and blogosphere are already speculating about whom Barack Obama and John McCain might select as running mates. The decision is potentially most important on the Republican side, given that John McCain would be 72 years old at his inauguration next January.

Besides the somewhat morbid speculation that he might not serve out his term, it’s also considered unlikely he would run for re-election in 2012, when he’ll be 76 (and would reach 80 in office). Obviously his vice president would be in the strongest position to succeed him, whether in 2012 or 2016.

One name frequently mentioned is Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, who is credited with delivering the state to McCain during the GOP primary, thus sealing the nomination for the Arizona senator. The 51-year-old bachelor governor has actually been dogged for years with rumors about his sexual orientation. He was married once, although only for seven months.

What’s more, an opponent from the 2006 Florida gubernatorial race went public with a private conversation he had with Crist back in 1985, when the two of them were participating in a leadership program in St. Petersburg. According to him, Crist confided that he is gay and worried how it might impact his political future.

An alternative weekly in south Florida has also published articles with mostly unconfirmed stories that Crist had sex with two 20-something young Republicans.

If McCain picks Crist despite the gay rumors, his No. 2 will be much more moderate on gay issues. While on record opposed to gay marriage, Crist called an effort to amend the state’s constitution on that point a waste of time. He also said that civil unions, the functional equivalent of marriage without the name, were “fine” with him. He also favors gay-inclusive hate crime laws and school anti-bullying bills backed by gay groups in the state.

The governor most often mentioned on McCain’s short list is Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota, and his record offers a marked contrast to Crist’s. Although Pawlenty voted as a state rep for a GLBT rights amendment in 1993, he later cited it as the single “mistake” he’d most like to take back from his decade in the state House.

“There’s a whole series of behaviors protected in that bill that have nothing to do with biological makeup,” he said later. “They have to do with, just, simple preferences, for example, of wearing women’s clothing.”

Pawlenty also signed a pledge to support an amendment to the state’s constitution banning gay marriage.

On the Democratic side, Barack Obama is likely to pick someone older and more experienced, and one of the names mentioned the most also has been trailed by rumors that he’s gay. Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland was a key supporter of Hillary Clinton and his powerful political machine helped her win the state’s important primary.

The Ohio press mostly condemned GOP speculation during the 2006 gubernatorial race that Strickland (and his wife, actually) may be gay. The couple married late, in their 40s, and has no children. Conservatives also made hay about a 1998 jaunt to Italy that Strickland took accompanied only by his 26-year-old male campaign manager. Strickland later cut ties with the travel companion after the public learned of his previous arrest for exposing himself to a nine-year-old girl.

On substance, Strickland signed an executive order banning discrimination against state workers based on sexual orientation but rankled activists by exempting health insurance and other benefits. Like Obama, he supports civil unions and opposes a federal marriage amendment. During 10 years in the U.S. House, Strickland amassed a generally good record on gay and HIV issues.

Another governor on Obama’s short list is New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, the former presidential candidate whose endorsement gave Obama a lift when his campaign was dragging. Richardson has a tremendous record on gay rights, but annoyed many with a gaffe about sexual orientation being a “choice.” He later apologized for the remark, and also for using the word “maricón,” which is Spanish for “faggot,” during a visit with shock jock Howard Stern.

There are others under consideration, of course, but we could do much worse than Bill Richardson as Charlie Crist as running mates.