Donald Trump isn’t in a hurry to name his vice-presidential choice for the Republican Party ticket. But the former president dropped some major hints Wednesday during his interview with The Brian Kilmeade Show on Fox Radio. Trump gave his views on three candidates in particular:
- North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum
- Ohio Senator J.D. Vance
- Florida Senator Marco Rubio
As it happens, these are the top three Veepstakes favorites on political betting sites like Bovada (find out more with our Bovada Review) as we go to press:
- Doug Burgum (+165)
- J.D. Vance (+300)
- Marco Rubio (+450)
These three gentlemen have separated themselves from the political betting pack in recent weeks. What did Trump have to say about them? Who will get the nod when Trump appears at the GOP convention next Monday? Enquiring minds want to know.
Will Doug Burgum Become Vice President?
This appears to be the most likely result – assuming the Republicans win the 2024 election, of course, and Trump happens to be the –185 favorite.
Burgum has just about everything Trump admires in a candidate. He’s got tons of money, thanks to his real estate and venture capital efforts; Burgum is also a relative unknown on the political stage, so there’s no concern about him outshining the former president.
Most importantly, Burgum left the race for the Republican nomination early, and immediately endorsed Trump. The two are getting along like peas in a pod. “I think Doug is great,” Trump told Fox Radio, although he did say that North Dakota’s six-week abortion ban is “a little bit of an issue.”
Will J.D. Vance Become Vice President?
While Burgum seems to check off all the boxes, Vance brings some bugaboos to the table. He’s much more of a firebrand than Burgum; Trump won’t enjoy sharing the spotlight with the man who once called the former president “loathsome” and “an idiot.”
There also might be a problem with Vance’s facial hair. Much like George Steinbrenner when he owned the New York Yankees, Trump wants his people clean-shaven – at least according to a Trump source cited by The Bulwark.
Vance has a beard, and without it, he “looks like he’s 12,” according to another Trump source. This isn’t going to fly with Trump’s version of central casting, although he did compare Vance to “a young Abraham Lincoln” during Wednesday’s interview. Would Vance be willing to at least pare down to a mustache like Don Mattingly? If you see Vance sporting that look in the days ahead, watch out.
Will Marco Rubio Become Vice President?
Aside from his lack of facial hair, Rubio has many of the same issues as Vance when it comes to the former president. Trump still gave Rubio plaudits for his speech on Tuesday at Trump’s Doral golf club just outside of Miami. “Marco was great last night, very popular,” Trump told Fox Radio.
There is one other fly in the ointment: because both Trump and Rubio live in Florida, the 12th Amendment says they can’t be on the same ticket together. Trump said that wouldn’t be a deal-breaker, but “it does make it more complicated.”
As for the timing of Trump’s announcement, it’s looking more and more likely that he’ll wait until the GOP convention before naming his running mate. “You know, in the old days, they did it during the convention,” Trump said, “and it kept the convention very exciting, actually. So we’ll see about that.”
This is Trump World, so there could always be a surprise lurking around the corner; maybe someone like Ben Carson (+1000) or Tulsi Gabbard (+1200) will get the duke instead. But for now, it certainly looks like Burgum is poised to join the Republican ticket for 2024.
Bet accordingly.
