Five dark-horse contenders to be Donald Trump’s VP pick

Many prominent Republicans have been mentioned as possible running mates for former President Trump, but as he gets closer to a decision, it’s unclear who he will ultimately choose.

Sens. Tim Scott of South Carolina and Marco Rubio of Florida are seen as the front-runners, but strategists say former President Trump could make a surprising choice.

“Fundraising, media savvy and loyalty to America First are the things I think are most important,” one Republican strategist said, “But Trump is unpredictable and will defy expectations all the way up to the convention.”

Former New York Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-New York) has been mentioned as a possible candidate this week, while others argue that former U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley, a one-time rival of Trump’s, could foster unity within the Republican Party and expand the party’s base.

Here are five dark horse candidates that President Trump could choose as his running mate.

Nikki Haley

Haley and Trump went head-to-head on Super Tuesday earlier this year, despite Trump being the front-runner, in a fiercely personal race, but Haley is seen by both Republicans and outside the party as someone who could help Trump expand his base.

“On the dark horse list, Nikki Haley is probably the most likely candidate because of what she brings,” a Republican strategist told The Hill.

Although Haley dropped out of the race, she continued to win significant votes in subsequent Republican primaries, with her getting nearly 20% or more of the vote in some states. While Haley and Trump have many policy similarities, they are seen as representing very different wings of the Republican Party and with very different brands.

Haley said last month that she would be voting for Trump, but it’s unclear what her role in the Trump campaign will be, or if she’ll even have a role at all. Trump said in a Truth Social post earlier last month that Haley was “not being considered” as a potential vice presidential candidate, but later that month said he believed she would join his team in some capacity.

“We think alike and feel the same way in a lot of ways,” Trump said after Haley said she would vote for Trump. “I appreciate what she said. You know, our race was awful. It was pretty awful. But she’s a very capable person and I’m sure she’ll definitely be on our team in some way.”

Lee Zeldin

Zeldin ultimately lost his bid to challenge New York Governor Kathy Hockle (Democrat) in 2022, but his performance in Democratic strongholds has kept him well-known among Republicans.

Hawkle defeated Zeldin, 53 percent to 47 percent, the largest percentage of the vote for a New York Republican gubernatorial candidate in years.

Zeldin is considered a leading vice presidential candidate because of his contributions to making New York more competitive.

“This is not something we can take lightly,” a Republican strategist said, referring to Zeldin’s 2022 campaign. “If he can push the envelope in blue states, he’ll show he’s someone who can push the map in campaigning.”

Plus, Zeldin is seen as an adept fundraiser, always an asset for a vice presidential candidate.

“Lee Zeldin raised a lot of money in New York,” the strategist added.

“It takes money to expand the map. The reason things look good for Trump right now is because Biden is basically falling behind on the map.”

Wesley Hunt

Rep. Wesley Hunt (R-Texas) has emerged not only as a rising star in the Republican Party but also as an ardent Trump supporter.

Hunt and fellow vice presidential candidate Rep. Byron Donald (R-Fla.) visited heavily Democratic Philadelphia this week to appeal to black men, a chance for them and Donald to reach out to that demographic on Trump’s behalf after recent polls show enthusiasm for Biden waning among that demographic.

“It’s not 1964. It’s 2024,” Hunt said at an event titled “Congress, Cognac and Cigars.” “You know when the best time is to be a black man in America? Right now. Tomorrow!”

During the same visit, Hunt also spoke at the opening of the Trump campaign office in Philadelphia. The Texas congressman also appeared on cable TV news shows to promote the former president, who Trump holds in high regard among his supporters.

Maria Elvira Salazar

Like Hunt, Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-Fla.) is also considered a rising star in the GOP. The Miami-area congresswoman won election in 2020 to represent Florida’s 27th congressional district, which the Cook Political Report deemed “Democratic” at the time.

Salazar was a prominent broadcast journalist for Univision before joining Congress, and political observers say her Latino identity could work to Trump’s advantage as the Republican Party continues to make inroads with Hispanic and Latino voters and seeks to boost support among women voters.

Salazar, like most of the other vice presidential candidates, has been a vocal defender of the former president as he has faced legal troubles, and was one of many Republican lawmakers who traveled to New York City to support Trump during the hush money trial.

But because Trump is currently a Florida resident, the 12th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which requires that presidential and vice presidential candidates must be chosen from different states, could be an obstacle for her.

Still, many say Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) would be the front-runner.

“If there was a way around the 12th Amendment, Marco Rubio would legitimately be in the top two,” the strategist said.

Greg Abbott

Texas Governor Greg Abbott (Republican) has also been mentioned as a possible candidate due to his high profile within the Republican Party. As governor of the state with the largest border with Mexico, Abbott is a leading Republican voice on the southern border. The governor has been at odds with the Biden administration on this issue, drawing national attention.

Trump said in March that Abbott was “certainly” on his list of running mates.

Following Trump’s guilty verdict last week, Abbott said the trial was a “persecution” rather than a “prosecution.”

“There is every reason to expect this verdict will be overturned, but most Americans view this as an unfair trial,” Abbott told CNBC. “And you can see that by looking at the fundraising numbers that Trump has raised since this verdict, by looking at the polling numbers. And maybe this is part of the reason, but there are other reasons too, but Trump has more support in black communities, Hispanic communities, every community across the United States. This is not prosecution, this is persecution.”

Still, observers say Abbott’s chances of being selected by Trump as his running mate seem relatively low compared to other candidates.