TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., is leading the list of former presidents. Donald Trump‘s search for a running mate of the Republican candidate, according to six people who are familiar with the potential vice-presidential choices.
Rubio is hardly alone in the field; the cast of job hopefuls is big enough to fill an entire season of “The Lamp.” Trump estimated this number as 15 in an interview with Newsmax on March 13, and one of the sources, Rep. Elise StefanikRN.Y., retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson and Sen. Tim ScottRS.C. is among those in the mix.
“The list is long and it’s too early for any kind of process,” a Trump adviser said. “No one has been contacted directly yet, and I don’t expect to for some time.”
But Trump’s apparent seriousness about Rubio, 52, a third-term senator, points to his priorities and presents an interesting set of potential complications.
Rubio is young and telegenic, has spent more time in federal office than Vice President Kamala Harris, and would be the first non-white Republican to become a Republican at a time when Trump is bullish about his chances of winning over Latino voters. presidential ticket.
In other words, Rubio, the Miami-born son of working-class Cuban immigrants, looks good on paper and on TV — a powerful combination for Trump.
“It’s pretty clear from Trump’s orbit that Rubio is in the game,” the Florida GOP veteran said. “It makes sense because it pretty much checks both boxes to be from Florida.”
The Constitution prohibits electors from voting for president and vice president from their own states.
“The Electors shall meet in their respective States and vote by ballot for two Persons, at least one of whom shall not be an inhabitant of the same State,” says Article II, Section I, Clause 3.
But that didn’t stop Dick Cheney, a longtime Texan, from working changes residence to Wyoming In 2000, he was able to compete with Texan George Bush.
It’s unclear whether Rubio would be interested in running for vice president, and he has previously raised the Constitution as a possible hurdle without completely ruling out the No. 2 slot.
“We’re both from the same state, so it probably won’t work that way.” Rubio said When asked about joining the Trump ticket on Fox News in January.
Spokespeople for Rubio and Trump declined to comment for this article.
Trump declined to name the candidates on his list, but offered some insight into his thinking.
“It’s very important that you get the right person in case something happens,” he told WABC radio in New York on Tuesday. “You want someone who can step into that role and be great.”
He added that he does not think his choice will have much impact on the outcome of the rematch with President Joe Biden.
“Electorally, historically, it doesn’t help at all. “I think if you pick one that’s a disaster, it can hurt.”
Trump’s team plans to test the campaign’s top candidates — a kind of audition — at rallies and events in the coming months. He will also appreciate a necessary skill that Rubio has demonstrated: the ability to raise money. He raised nearly $50 million for the 2016 presidential election.
Florida political circles are discussing a scenario in which Rubio could resign his Senate seat to move to another state and join the ticket. That would give Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Trump’s defeated opponent in this year’s primary, a big plum in the form of a Senate appointment.
“What’s more interesting is what Rubio means for the Senate seat and who DeSantis will appoint,” said a veteran Florida GOP operative.
Eight years ago, Trump and Rubio exchanged heated barbs, including some thinly veiled shots at each other’s masculinity, as they battled for the 2016 GOP nomination. Trump nicknamed Rubio “Little Marco” during the campaign, to which Rubio responded that Trump had “small hands.”
But their relationship has improved since Rubio supported Trump’s White House agenda and endorsed him ahead of the convention in Iowa this January.
Dasha Burns reported from Palm Beach, Florida; Matt Dixon reported from Tallahassee, Florida; and Jonathan Allen reported from Washington