Now that the field has been cleared for Donald Trump to claim the title of presumptive nominee, all eyes are turning to the big show – with Trump facing off against Hillary Clinton or Bernie Sanders. The next question on the minds of almost everyone is who will Mr. Trump choose as VP?
There are many exciting possibilities. Some could prove more conciliatory and be designed to bring party faithful into the fold. Others may be calculated to attract certain groups of voters.
Mr. Trump has said repeatedly that he wants to bring in someone with political experience for this role. He is a business man and doesn’t need someone with that background. He wants to bring in someone who understands the way politics work. He’ll need a VP that can get bills passed and reach across party lines to get things done in Congress. We’ve compiled a short list of just who Trump could tap to be his running mate.
Marco Rubio
The Florida Senator is well liked among the conservative members of the Republican Party. Rubio has some substantial legislative credentials, and he would be a calming influence among those who seem to be recoiling from the Trump victory and searching for a way to remain loyal to the party while making Trump more palatable.
The big question is whether or not Trump and Rubio can put the past behind and unite for the sake of the party. Trump maintains that he doesn’t need the party core to win and choosing Rubio could stall the outsider role that has propelled him this far in the race.
Rand Paul
The two are as different as they can be on many issues. There are a few issues, however, that the libertarian-leaning Republican has in common with Donald Trump – the main one being a balanced budget. Rand Paul recently endorsed Trump stating that while they have their differences he would rather have Trump in the nation’s highest office than Hillary Clinton.
Paul brings in another group of voters who, like many of Trump’s supporters feel disenfranchised. This includes libertarians. Rand Paul offers a great deal of appeal to younger voters.
Rick Perry
The former Texas Governor and Donald Trump Rival has experience leading a state, and leading it well. The state of Texas flourished under Perry’s leadership. He also has the staunch conservative credentials that Trump lacks. He would be another great choice to bring in voters on the right. Perry has also publicly stated that he would welcome the opportunity to be VP on a Trump ticket.
It really comes down to whether or not Trump wants to risk the right turn this particular VP choice would be or find a running mate that will appeal to a broader range of people outside of the ultra-conservative space. By the numbers, though, Texas is a big state in the White House race and having a popular Texan on the ticket might be a great thing.
Susana Martinez
Though she has stated on numerous occasions that she isn’t interested in being Vice President and would rather focus on her role as the governor of New Mexico. Not only is Susana Martinez female, but she’s also Hispanic and that could go a long way to bring these much-needed demographics into the fold. She also has concerns that if she were to run with Trump and lose the national office it would derail her chances of reelection in New Mexico by risk of alienating the local Latino population.
John Kasich
One that was considered the obvious choice before recent actions had Ohio Governor Kasich teaming up with Ted Cruz in an effort to stop trump at all costs. While the alliance was short-lived and may have contributed to both campaigns falling apart, it probably stings a bit with Mr. Trump.
However, if he is willing to let bygones be bygones, Ohio is critical for the Republican path to President and Kasich is popular among state Republicans.
These aren’t the same names everyone else is spouting and there are certainly names people would prefer to see on the short list. The fact remains that Mr. Trump will be making the final selection and we might all be surprised by the running mater he ultimately chooses.
~American Liberty Report
