Who Would Trump Pick for VP? The Field Is Wide Open

Former President Donald Trump and many of his supporters say he has locked up the race for the Republican nomination even with the first contests months away. That has prompted early jockeying among top Republicans to potentially be his running mate.

Possible vice-presidential candidates range from staunch loyalists in Congress such as Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia to other popular party figures, including former Arizona television host Kari Lake. One prominent critic, Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina, has been warming to the idea of supporting Trump and serving alongside him, people familiar with her thinking say. 

Trump has also indicated he could tap a current 2024 rival for the job. He hasn’t committed to attending the first GOP presidential debate later this month and posted on social media: “Let them debate so I can see who I MIGHT consider for Vice President!”

The Trump campaign declined to comment for this article, but aides and allies have started discussing names of possible candidates who could join him on the ticket in a general election against President Biden, who is expected to be the Democratic Party nominee. Trump hasn’t engaged, aides said, and is focused on the GOP primaries, where he has built a strong lead in opinion polls. They say Trump wants someone who has a record of winning and is aligned with his agenda. Trump also likes people who do well on TV.

Many Republicans have signaled they are open to the job, without actively campaigning for it. A decision could be nearly a year away, as Trump and other nominees have typically picked their running mate ahead of the summer party conventions. 

Some hopefuls are working to prove their support for Trump as he faces several indictments, including one this month over his efforts to overturn the 2020 election. Some are juggling their own ambitions for other jobs while signaling they remain open to a spot on the 2024 ticket should the opportunity arise. 

Lake: Arizona or Washington Job?

Lake, the TV anchor who narrowly lost her 2022 bid for governor of Arizona, is expected to announce a run for Senate this fall. But she would agree to be Trump’s running mate and skip the Senate bid if he asked, according to people familiar with her thinking.  

The prominent Trump supporter has been traveling the country this year pushing the pro-Trump agenda and false claims of fraud in her 2022 election loss to crowds of raucous supporters. She also visits Trump properties, which Trump aides say they have noticed. After the indictment, Lake called on all the presidential candidates to drop out and rally around Trump.

A straw poll at a recent Turning Point Action gathering of conservative activists had her as the top pick for vice president, with just under a third of the vote.

Lake’s advisers have started interviewing potential staff for a Senate run and she has started to indicate publicly that she is likely to get into that race, according to people familiar. Even if she were to run for Senate, that wouldn’t rule out her pivoting to the VP spot. 

She has previously said she would do whatever Trump asked of her, and she recently tweeted that Rep. Byron Donalds (R., Fla.), who played a role in the House speaker fight, “would be GREAT!!!” as Trump’s running mate. 

Donalds, who came in second in the straw poll with 24% of the attendees at the Turning Point Action event, said that “it’s cool, it’s like an honor” to be a favorite with activists but that he hadn’t heard anything from Trump’s inner circle. 

One person unlikely to be interested in the job: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. He said recently, “I don’t want veep…I’m running to win.” Also not in the running: Trump’s pick for his first two campaigns,

Ari Fleischer, a press secretary for former President George W. Bush, said the conventional wisdom that a vice presidential candidate needs to bring something to the table—a competitive state or power with a key demographic—hasn’t been relevant for decades.

“You’re either for or against Trump so politically I don’t see a lot at play in who Trump picks,” he said. 

Stefanik and Greene: Powerful Backers in Congress

Stefanik, who as the No. 3 House Republican is in charge of messaging, is interested in being selected for the role, according to two people familiar with her thinking. But she has no intention of advocating it; instead her focus is on performing strongly in her current role and continuing to back the president.  

“I’d be honored to serve in the Trump administration,” said Stefanik, who likes to note she is the highest-ranking GOP official in Congress to endorse the president. She said she talks to Trump almost weekly. But regarding the VP job, she said, “We have not discussed it.”

Stefanik, who came to Congress as a relative moderate and occasional critic of Trump, made her name defending Trump in his first set of impeachment proceedings.

Another Trump ally, Greene, said she would consider an offer from Trump, but said she hadn’t spoken to the president about it. 

“She’s a warrior,” Trump told a Georgia crowd in early June, when Greene spoke alongside him at a rally at the state GOP convention. After the indictment she said on X, the service formerly called Twitter: “I will still vote for Trump even if he’s in jail.”

Stefanik and Greene have introduced separate resolutions to expunge Trump’s two impeachments. Greene has said she has been talking to House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R., Calif.) about her measure and is working to build support. Moderate Republicans have balked at the possibility.

Mace: From Critic to Ally?

Mace is an unlikely name on the list. She said Trump “wiped out” his legacy with the Jan. 6, 2021, riot. Trump in 2022 endorsed a primary opponent of Mace’s. But as polling has made clear Trump is the clear favorite for the GOP nomination next year, Mace has grown more open to the idea of backing him, according to people familiar with her thinking. South Carolina is the third state in the GOP nominating process, so the endorsements of its elected officials can hold more weight than those from other states. She would also be open to being his running mate if offered, the people said. 

Some people have advised Mace that repairing her relationship with Trump would help her in any future statewide elections, as the state is far more conservative than her competitive district.

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, who had been previously seen as a possible presidential contender, hasn’t endorsed Trump but also said no one besides him will become the nominee. Asked in interviews about the possibility of being his running mate she has said she is focused on her current role, but doesn’t rule it out. 

In an interview on Fox News in July, Trump said he may consider a primary opponent as his running mate. Trump declined to be specific but praised Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy. Both have said they aren’t interested.

—Alex Leary contributed to this article.

Write to Eliza Collins at [email protected] and Siobhan Hughes at [email protected]