Senator J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) has emerged as the leading candidate to be President Trump’s running mate.
Sources had said for weeks that Vance, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum were finalists, but on Monday it was reported that neither Rubio nor Burgum had been selected.
Trump is expected to announce his long-awaited running mate on Monday afternoon, when the Republican National Committee holds its convention in Milwaukee.
A Republican source previously confirmed to The Hill that the former president had officially chosen his running mate, and Trump himself said in a phone interview with Fox News’ Bret Baier on Monday morning that he plans to announce his running mate later that day.
Trump’s running mate is scheduled to appear in person at 4:37 p.m. EDT, the start of the vice presidential nomination process, a source familiar with the process told The Hill.
Donald Trump Jr. was a fierce critic of Trump in 2016 but has since defended Vance, who has become a strong supporter of the former president.
A spokesman for Vance did not respond to a request for comment.
Trump has also named Sen. Tim Scott (R-South Carolina) as a contender, with other dark horse candidates including Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin (R) and former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson.
Trump’s formal announcement of his running mate brings to an end years of speculation about who would be the second vice president, which had become a social game in Washington following his public break with former Vice President Mike Pence.
But the question of Mr Trump’s No. 2 took on added importance following the assassination attempt at a rally in Pennsylvania last weekend, which Mr Trump said left him bloody after a bullet penetrated the top of his right ear.
