Former President Donald Trump recently revealed that he has selected his vice presidential running mate to NBC News. Trump stated that he had not yet informed the individual but added that they will be present at his upcoming debate with incumbent President Joe Biden on Thursday. The debate is set to take place in Atlanta and will be hosted by CNN.
Speaking to NBC during a campaign stop in Philadelphia, Trump shared that he has made his decision “in my mind,” with nobody else knowing who he has chosen for the position. He confirmed that this selected person would attend the debate as part of his team, mentioning that “We have a lot of people coming” to the event.
Trump also mentioned that he plans to announce his choice at or around the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee on July 15th, with the possibility of revealing it slightly earlier. He emphasized that he would be choosing from a list of great people for the vice presidential role. Over the past few months, Trump has reportedly considered at least ten candidates for his ticket.
Recent interviews have revealed that this shortlist has been narrowed down to just a handful of contenders. According to US media outlets, North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, Florida Senator Marco Rubio, and author and Ohio Senator JD Vance are currently the top three candidates. Vance is particularly popular among Trump’s voter base due to his strong support for the ‘America First’ agenda and opposition to military aid for Ukraine.
In a recent survey conducted at the Turning Point Action convention in Detroit, 43% of conservative activists chose JD Vance as their preferred running mate for Trump. This figure was significantly higher than the other contenders, including South Carolina Senator Tim Scott (14%), Rubio (7.7%), and Burgum (7.
Although Thursday’s debate will not have a live studio audience, all four of the top candidates – Burgum, Rubio, Scott, and Vance – are expected to attend a watch party organized by Trump’s campaign, as reported by Bloomberg.
With just over four months remaining until the election, Trump currently holds a slim advantage over Biden in a polling average compiled by FiveThirtyEight. However, two separate polls released on Thursday show Trump leading Biden across seven swing states, with an Ipsos survey finding that the former president is five points ahead of the incumbent in Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Georgia, North Carolina, Arizona, and Nevada – all except for North Carolina were won by Biden in the 2020 election.