Multiple news outlets report Ohio Senator J.D. Vance received vetting materials for consideration as Republican Donald Trump’s running mate in the November election.
Axios and Politico reported Vance was among eight to receive the documents. The others include:
- North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum
- Sen. Marco Rubio (Fla.)
- Sen. Tim Scott (S.C.)
- Ben Carson, former HUD Secretary
- Rep. Elise Stefanik (N.Y.)
- Rep. Byron Donalds (Fla.)
- Sen. Tom Cotton (Ark.)
NBC reported Trump had already narrowed the field to four – Vance, Burgum, Rubio, and Scott. Trump has hinted he will name is vice presidential pick before the Republican party’s nominating convention in mid-July. However, Politico reported Trump campaign spokesperson Brian Hughes downplayed all the rumors: “Anyone claiming to know who or when President Trump will choose his VP is lying, unless the person is named Donald J. Trump.”
Vance was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2022 and took office January 3, 2023.
When Trump ran for president in 2016, Vance posted a since-deleted tweet in reaction to the release of the “Access Hollywood” tape: “Fellow Christians, everyone is watching us. When we apologize for this man, lord help us.” Recently on CNN’s “State of the Union,” Vance said he was wrong about Trump.
“But, look, my view on Donald Trump — I have been very clear on this — is, look, I was wrong about him. I didn’t think he was going to be a good president, Dana, and I was very, very proud to be proven wrong. It’s one of the reasons why I’m working so hard to get him elected,” Vance told host Dana Bash.
