Former President Donald Trump is reportedly narrowing down his list of possible running mate picks, with four candidates set to attend a donor retreat in Florida this weekend. The top picks include Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., according to Bloomberg.
Trump has recently eliminated Arizona Senate candidate Kari Lake from his shortlist due to concerns about her potential loss in the Arizona Senate race. He has also shown heightened interest in Burgum, who he hosted at Mar-a-Lago on Easter. Trump has reportedly expressed frustration with Lake and sought to distance himself from her.
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem’s chances as a potential VP pick have been effectively tanked after admitting in her new book that she shot and killed her family’s puppy and a goat. Noem has faced bipartisan outrage over the revelations in her book.
Trump has mentioned a number of potential running mates over the past few months, including Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, and others. Trump has also considered former GOP primary opponents such as Sen. Marco Rubio and South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster.
Trump has made it clear that the top criteria for his VP pick is someone who could “be a good president . . . in case of emergency.” Despite speculation and rumors, former Fox News host Tucker Carlson has dismissed the idea of serving as Trump’s running mate, stating that a career in politics is “unimaginable.”
Trump has stated that he will make a decision on his running mate closer to the Republican National Convention, which kicks off on July 15 in Milwaukee. The Republican National Committee is set to formalize Trump’s nomination at the convention, while the Democratic National Committee will hold its convention in Chicago in August.
