Donald J. Trump said he will announce his running mate on Monday when the Republican National Convention begins in Milwaukee. Follow us here for the latest updates.
The Mar-a-Lago inner circle generally agrees that a resume worthy of No. 2 on the shortlist must contain several Trump-specific requirements that run counter to demographic and electoral advantages: absolute loyalty to the Trump brand, a willingness to sift every decision and public comment through a subservient lens, and the recognizable “center casting” look that the former president prizes.
Let’s take a look at his top choices here.
Likely candidates
Trump is unpredictable, but the field is narrowing as the race nears the final stretch.
J.D. Vance
The best-selling author and former venture capitalist is now a senator from Ohio, thanks in large part to President Trump’s support.
Maddie McGarvey (The New York Times)
Pros: He and Trump have resolved their differences and become especially close. Vance is one of Trump’s most staunch defenders, drawing a line in a Senate dominated by skeptics of the former president. Both are immigration hardliners and share similar views on trade. Cons: Though he’s much younger than Trump, he’s unlikely to add gender or ethnic diversity to the list of candidates. Ohio is no longer a presidential battleground. Vance is a staunch opponent of abortion, which could put the party in even greater difficulty on the issue.
Doug Burgum
The North Dakota governor fell short in the 2024 presidential race but is vying for the party’s No. 2 spot.
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Pros Trump likes to surround himself with status and wealth, and Burgum fits the bill by selling his software company to Microsoft in 2001 for more than $1 billion. Trump praised Burgum’s business acumen in a North Dakota radio interview in December. Burgum showed little interest in attacking Trump during the primaries and was the first Republican presidential candidate this year to end his campaign and endorse Trump. His performance in the first primary debate will be remembered for repeatedly begging the moderator for time to talk about North Dakota’s energy problems. There’s no danger of him stealing the spotlight from Trump. Cons Burgum’s relative obscurity is a double-edged sword. Unlike Mike Pence, who has brought credibility to evangelical voters, Burgum has no natural base of support. He’s never been tested on the national stage.
Marco Rubio
The Florida senator, who was Trump’s rival in 2016, has been a trusted ally of the president and a leading Republican voice on foreign policy issues.
Scott McIntyre of The New York Times
Pros: Rubio is well known for his experience on the national stage. His pro-Israel, anti-Putin record is especially timely. He speaks fluent Spanish, and his Cuban heritage has played a major role in his political career. Rubio and Trump have secretly cultivated a close relationship for years. Before Trump was booted out of the White House in 2020, he considered Rubio as a possible candidate for Secretary of State. Cons: Rubio has never lived up to the expectations many Republicans had (and fueled) after his unpopular 2010 Senate victory. In 2016, he openly said he didn’t want to be considered for Trump’s nomination. What could disqualify him is his central role in the 2013 immigration reform movement, which is still anathema to Republicans a decade later.
Long Shot
These selections would come as a big surprise, but they were on the cards at one point.
Tim Scott
Scott, a South Carolina senator, ran for president but dropped out in November.
Al Drago/EPA via Shutterstock
Pros: As the only black Republican in the Senate, Scott is one of the party’s best fundraisers and one of its most popular. Scott gave Trump a key endorsement just days before the New Hampshire primary. The move was a blow to the former president’s biggest rival, Nikki Haley, and Scott’s inspiring remarks caught Trump’s attention. Trump said on Fox that he told Scott, “You’re a much better candidate for me than you are for yourself.” Scott often relies on his faith, which may help ease evangelical concerns about Trump. Some are disheartened by Trump’s eagerness to blame evangelicals for his 2022 election loss and his lack of enthusiasm for evangelical anti-abortion priorities. Cons: Despite the endorsement, he’s not on anyone’s list of Trump’s most ardent supporters. Scott’s failure to produce memorable moments in the three primary debates may not bode well for a possible showdown with Vice President Kamala Harris, a former prosecutor.
Tom Cotton
A staunch and provocative conservative, Cotton is seen as one of the rising stars of the Republican Party.
Doug Mills/The New York Times
Pros: He’s a decorated military veteran with a strong foreign policy track record. Trump expressed interest in Cotton fairly late in the deliberations over who his running mate would be. The former president has previously expressed interest in Cotton and has considered him for a cabinet post. Cons: He voted to certify the 2020 presidential election, making this Trump’s most important political test. He’s a foreign policy hawk who may not mesh with Trump’s isolationist approach.
Bill Hagerty
The Tennessee senator and former private equity executive is belatedly considering a run.
Valerie Plesch, The New York Times
Pros: Dark hair, blue eyes, Trump’s type of look, and strong ties to the former president. In 2016, he served as the Tennessee finance chairman for the Trump campaign, and later helped with the White House transition by overseeing presidential appointments, including his own appointment as U.S. ambassador to Japan. Trump likes sports team owners, and Hagerty helped bring a Major League Soccer team to Nashville, where his family is a minority owner. Cons: Hagerty, who served as economic adviser to former President George W. Bush, national finance chairman for Mitt Romney’s 2008 presidential campaign, and state delegate for Jeb Bush’s 2016 presidential campaign, grew up in the Republican establishment, which Trump has long denounced. Trump is weighing the debate skills of his vice presidential candidate, and Hagerty refused to share the stage with his rivals during his solo 2020 campaign. Hagerty was an early supporter of a national abortion ban, a position Trump has not endorsed. Hagerty did not vote for the contraceptive right bill on June 5.
Ben Carson
Carson, a former neurosurgeon who ran against Trump in 2016, served as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under Trump.
Pros Carson’s mild-mannered demeanor and dedication to his Christian faith make him a well-liked figure in the party. As an African-American physician with a promising career story, Carson could help Trump boost his support among black voters. He has plenty of experience fighting for Trump, including a speech at the 2020 Republican National Convention focused on defending Trump against accusations of racism. Cons Carson’s record in the Trump administration is full of fodder for opponents, including accusations of wasteful spending and derogatory remarks about transgender people that angered staff. His struggles with understanding foreign policy issues in 2016 contributed to his loss in the presidential election. Carson has a complicated history with the truth, including admitting to lying about his West Point scholarship and fabricating stories from his youth. Following these controversies, Trump said in 2016 that voters would be “stupid” to believe Carson.
Nikki Haley
Haley, who served as ambassador to the United Nations and governor of South Carolina under Trump, is the Republican Party’s final rival in the 2024 presidential election.
Samuel Corum of the New York Times
Pros: Haley has proven to be a good debater and a great campaigner, and has strong donor connections. As the state’s first female governor and the country’s second governor of Indian descent, she would bring diversity to Trump’s list of candidates. Her experience on economic issues as a governor and working on foreign policy in the Trump administration would prepare her well for a debate with Harris. Despite their growing mutual hatred for each other at the end of the primaries, she said in May that she would vote for Trump in the November election. Cons: Trump said in May that Haley was “not a consideration.” He could change his mind at any time, but his words were absolute. Meanwhile, days before the New Hampshire primary, Haley said she “cannot possibly” be vice president, Politico reported. Her ambition could scare off a man who is reluctant to share the spotlight.
Elise Stefanick
Stefanik, a five-term congresswoman, transformed herself from a Bush administration staffer into a prominent Trump supporter.
Hans Pennink/The Associated Press
Pros: Stefanik, a 39-year-old woman with a growing Republican following, would bring youth and gender diversity to the race against the septuagenarian Trump. She has a proven ability to reinvent herself as the political situation demands. Her questioning of three university presidents about anti-Semitism caused a sensation, leading to the resignation of two of them and was widely seen as a victory for conservatives. Cons: Her devotion to Trump may only be surpassed by her own political ambitions. There is room for only one personal brand at Mar-a-Lago. She hails from New York, which remains a solidly blue state despite Republican victories.
Sarah Huckabee Sanders
She was President Trump’s former White House press secretary and used her name recognition to become governor of Arkansas.
Doug Mills/The New York Times
Pros: She’s a young Republican widely respected within her party. She learned the ins and outs of the White House while becoming a MAGA star as the administration’s chief press secretary. She endorsed Trump in November. Cons: Trump was infuriated that it took her a year to endorse his 2024 campaign. Her mini-scandal over a $19,000 lectern purchase in Arkansas is the kind of self-destructive mistake presidential campaigns try to avoid.
Byron Donald
A two-term congressman who has made a name for himself in Washington as a representative of the next generation of pro-Trump Republicans.
Erin Shaff/The New York Times
Pros: He is one of the relatively few black Republican officeholders, adding racial diversity to the list of candidates at a time when the GOP is trying to draw black voters away from the Democrats. Trump has had his eye on Donald and has praised him to his advisers. Cons: He is relatively inexperienced as a politician. He ran unsuccessfully against Kevin McCarthy, who had Trump’s backing, for Speaker of the House. Donald had several run-ins with police 20 years ago, including a bribery charge, but he insisted he would not fight. He says he learned from the experience and describes his actions as “the actions of a young kid.”
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