It appears that Donald Trump is about to let go of another grudge within the Republican Party by considering a former rival as his running mate in 2024.
According to reports, the ex-president is currently contemplating three potential candidates as his top picks for the GOP’s vice-presidential nominee. This comes as he prepares for a rematch against President Joe Biden later this year.
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As former Vice President Mike Pence has declined to endorse him, Donald Trump’s list of potential candidates for his hypothetical second administration has dwindled. He is now only considering Republicans whom he is confident will be loyal and obedient to him.
One of the three individuals who have been sparring with Trump for a long time is his former primary opponent from 2016, Senator Marco Rubio from Florida. Trump had famously given him the nickname “Lil’ Marco” during their campaign. However, after suffering a significant defeat in his home state, Rubio withdrew from the race.
According to a report by The Washington Post, Trump has been discussing his top picks with close aides and advisers in recent weeks. In an interview with conservative outlet Newsmax earlier in June, he even singled out Rubio as a potential candidate.
According to Trump, Governor Burgum from North Dakota, Marco Rubio, and J.D. Vance have been doing an incredible job. He also mentioned Ben Carson as one of the great people out there. It is believed that Burgum and Vance, who is the senator from Ohio, are among the top two names on his list.
It is worth mentioning Rubio’s inclusion, particularly because of his change of heart regarding the former president. Back in 2016, he launched a number of verbal attacks on Trump, primarily focusing on his character. He even made a crude comment that seemed to allude to Trump’s masculinity.
In 2016, he had asked, “Have you seen his hands?” and added, “You know what they say about men with small hands?”
Rubio, along with other GOP opponents, was mercilessly insulted by Trump in return.
According to reports from the Post, Trump has not yet set a date for formally announcing his running mate. There’s even a possibility that he might wait until the week of the GOP convention in July to make his decision.
Carson and Burgum both sought the GOP nomination in 2016 and 2021 respectively. Despite this, they have not displayed any hostility towards the former president, instead becoming some of his most ardent supporters. Back in 2023, Burgum had stated that he would decline the position of vice president if offered by Trump. Therefore, his inclusion on the ex-president’s shortlist would prove to be an uncomfortable reversal of his stance.
In contrast to Burgum’s stance, Rubio has emerged as a staunch advocate of Trump, especially since the latter’s defeat in the 2016 election. Rubio has expressed his willingness to serve as Trump’s vice president if offered the opportunity in a potential second term.
In March, the senator emphasized that being offered the opportunity to serve as vice president is a great honor for anyone who loves their country. However, he made it clear that he had not been advocating for himself within Trump’s circle. As he stated to NBC News, serving one’s country as vice president is a privilege that should be treated with utmost respect.
According to reports, the Biden campaign is determined to make a breakthrough in Florida, a state that has traditionally been a Republican stronghold. Despite Democrats’ past poor performance in the state, Biden’s team sees Florida as a winnable battleground in the upcoming 2024 election. One of the key issues that the president and his team plan to focus on is abortion rights, which they hope will put pressure on Trump in his home state.
Trump’s ticket could potentially be safeguarded against those efforts with the inclusion of Rubio.
According to Florida-based Republican strategist Justin Sayfie, Marco Rubio could be the candidate that the Biden campaign fears the most if he is included on the Trump 2024 ticket. Sayfie shared with The Hill that among all the possible running mates that President Trump can choose, the Biden campaign would not want to see Rubio on the ticket.
