Former President Donald Trump’s team has launched an extensive vetting effort to identify his potential vice presidential nominee, sifting through an expansive list of around a dozen prospective candidates according to sources familiar with the deliberations.
And an unexpected new frontrunner has suddenly emerged: Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., is now considered the heavy favorite, according to betting markets.
Scott has 23.0 percent odds of being named Trump’s running mate, according to ElectionBettingOdds.com. South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem and Rep. Elise Stefanik round out the top three with 15.5 percent and 9.8 percent, respectively.
Top Trump campaign adviser Susie Wiles is spearheading the closely watched running mate vetting process centered at Mar-a-Lago, working alongside an outside firm hired to conduct research and background checks on the contenders.
Trump’s son Donald Jr. and former first lady Melania Trump have also been kept apprised as key influencers, according to a report by Politico.
While the specific roster of candidates for Trump’s vice presidential pick remains fluid, the shortlist is said to feature an array of prominent Republican figures.
It includes Sens. Scott, J.D. Vance, Marco Rubio, and Katie Britt, as well as Govs. Noem, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, and Doug Burgum.
Others like Reps. Byron Donalds, Stefanik, and Tulsi Gabbard are being considered as well.
Trump himself has fanned speculation, regaling guests at his Florida residence with his impressions of the various candidates while coyly suggesting he plans to draw out the unveiling in classic reality show fashion to maximize the impact of his choice on the 2024 election.
“He’s going to draw this out ‘Apprentice’-style,” one person close to the campaign said, referring to Trump’s former hit TV show.
The former president has articulated finding someone “who is going to be a good president…in case of emergency” as his biggest criteria.
But election impact considerations — specifically around broadening his campaign’s appeal to key voting blocs — are also expected to factor heavily into his decision.
Besides Scott, Trump has appeared especially intrigued by the prospects of Gabbard and Stefanik based on private commentary.
The vetting has already sparked the type of external jockeying and internal campaign trail shuffling that is common in running mate derbies. Contenders like Scott and Burgum have been careful to defer to Trump’s running mate selection timeline while making themselves high-profile campaign surrogates across key battlegrounds.
For his part, Trump seems to be reveling in both the fanfare and suspense surrounding the awaited decision.
Sen. Tommy Tuberville told Politico, “He’ll ask you about people,” knowing that it creates a media feedback loop of input and intense speculation about the coveted VP slot.
While downplaying its electoral impact, Trump advisers acknowledge the political calculus of the selection extends beyond just 2024.
As one strategist noted, “This person will likely be our nominee in ’28 and serve as president for the next eight years.”
But those close to Trump warn the process is still very early and caution against putting too much stock in favored candidates being promoted amid the usual campaign heated theater.
Top candidates are likely playing to the crowd to improve their odds, Tuberville said.
“Like football coaches whenever there’s a job opening, my agent always put my name in there to get me a raise, get me publicity and all that,” he told Politico.
Trump’s vice presidential search is still in its opening acts, with an announcement not expected until sometime this summer.
But the unfolding drama is a classic play from the former president, who has a flair for pageantry and a keen desire to foster a united Republican coalition behind his third White House bid.
The Horn editorial team