Four of the top choices for running mates for former President Donald Trump are not on his short list, causing some supporters to speculate that his list might be a diversion or influenced by personal vendettas.
In the latest I&I/TIPP Poll released this morning, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL), former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, and Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX) emerged as the top four choices among Republican voters for the vice president role.
Three of these individuals — DeSantis, Haley, and Ramaswamy — who have all previously contested against Trump and spoken critically of him, are reportedly not on his short list. Abbott, who has clashed with Trump in the past but recently collaborated on border security, is also absent from the list.
According to reports, none of these top picks received a vetting package from Trump’s team.
Republicans named their top four choices for vice president in this order:
— DeSantis 14%.
— Haley 11%.
— Ramaswamy 8%.
— Abbott 7%.
The survey analysis reflected concerns about Trump’s selection process.
“Will Trump seek a running mate who in the White House will provide him with strong political and policy backing, and serve as a sounding board? Or will Trump, with his keen deal-making acumen and go-it-alone bravado, be open to selecting someone with selective demographic appeal to help with outreach to groups to win the election, but then give him or her little to do as vice president?” it asked.
Trump has signaled his intention to release his pick soon but recently stated he would wait for the Republican National Convention, the traditional platform for presidential nominees to announce their running mates.
Historically, Republican nominees have chosen running mates who have previously challenged them. For instance, former President Ronald Reagan selected George H.W. Bush despite Bush’s critique of Reagan’s economic policies as “voodoo economics.”
