Donald Trump narrowed down his shortlist of candidates to be his running mate.
It’s the biggest decision Trump has to make before he accepts the GOP’s nomination for President at the Republican National Convention this July.
And Donald Trump revealed his final decision on this Vice-Presidential pick.
Trump rejects Nikki Haley as his running mate
There is no question who the Republican establishment and donor class wants Donald Trump to pick as his Vice President.
RINO former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley is their favorite.
Haley checks all the boxes for the Swamp.
She backs a blank check for the war in Ukraine.
Haley talks like a pro-choice liberal on abortion.
But Haley won’t be Donald Trump’s running mate.
At a recent fundraiser, a donor pressed Trump to pick Haley to round out the ticket.
Trump rejected that suggestion out of hand.
“She’s a very disloyal person,” Trump said of Haley, who once claimed she wouldn’t run for President if Trump entered the race only to declare her candidacy shortly after Trump announced he was running for re-election.
Trump explained that personal chemistry played a big role in his Vice-Presidential selection process.
And Trump made it abundantly clear he doesn’t hold warm feelings towards Haley.
“You have to like the person you’re running with, and I don’t like her. I don’t like her,” Trump added.
Trump explained that putting Nikki Haley on the ticket didn’t add any electoral benefit.
“All those people are going to come vote for us anyway. Who are they going to vote for? […] I think if I picked Nikki Haley, it would look like such a weak decision,” Trump concluded.
The shortlist takes shape
Reports indicate there are eight candidates on Trump’s shortlist.
Senators J.D. Vance (R-OH), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Tim Scott (R-SC), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Congressman Byron Donalds (R-FL), Elise Stefanik (R-NY), North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, and former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Dr. Ben Carson all reportedly received vetting papers from the Trump campaign.
In an interview with Newsmax, Trump didn’t tip his hand on which way he was leaning.
Trump said, “We have some unbelievable people” under consideration.
Trump then name-checked several of the known contenders.
“I thought Tim Scott didn’t run as good of a race as he’s capable of running for himself, but as a surrogate for me, he’s unbelievable,” Trump continued.
“Governor Burgum from North Dakota has been incredible. Marco Rubio has been great. J.D. Vance has been great. We’ve had so many great people out there — Ben Carson,” Trump declared.
Trump sees that polls show him with a slight edge on Joe Biden nationally and in the key swing states.
That means Trump doesn’t need to pick a running mate who will change the trajectory of the race.
Trump needs to pick someone who will reassure on-the-fence voters and who won’t bring any drama to the ticket by constantly looking to undermine him to make themselves look good in anticipation of their own run for President in 2028.
