The race to determine who will be Donald Trump's running mate next November took a big step forward last week as the process of selecting several potential candidates accelerated, but political experts with deep knowledge of presidential campaigns say there is a potential name on the former Democratic president's list. short list. “Fear” the most.
The Trump campaign recently entered the next phase of its vice presidential search by requesting materials from several potential candidates, including Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, who has become a staunch ally of the former president since he s ran against him in the 2016 GOP presidential primary.
“Rubio is a familiar face who has become one of the strongest voices in the Senate for the America First agenda, is great on television and can effectively attack Biden for his failed policies,” a senior GOP strategist told Fox News Digital.
“Trump is doing very well with Latino voters, and the addition of Rubio will only strengthen that, which could spell doom for Biden,” they said, adding that “Rubio would be a strong and safe choice, with a lot of advantages".
Matt Walking, a Republican strategist who served as deputy communications director for Trump's 2020 presidential campaign, described Rubio as "an effective, disciplined communicator who rarely makes mistakes."
He noted that Rubio is the only person being considered who speaks another language and that his ability to speak Spanish would help the Trump campaign reach Hispanic voters in several states where it could boost their competitiveness, including Nevada, New Mexico, Arizona and Virginia. New York and Florida.
“While he shows he can capture a slightly higher share of white voters in 2022 than Trump did in Florida in 2020, he also appeals to the suburban voters and independents who will be key to Trump's success, and he is the only challenger on a real battlefield. .” Said Walking.
"Trump will balance his ticket by choosing Rubio as his vice presidential candidate, which is not the case with some other choices. These reasons explain why many Democrats fear Rubio more than others," he said. said, citing an article in Vanity Fair magazine. in May specifically notes some of these concerns.
Walking added that Rubio's experience as leader of the Senate Intelligence Committee would be "valuable" for Trump to "control rogue agencies."
A source close to the Trump campaign echoed what the other two said, that Rubio's Latino heritage enhances the campaign's ability to connect with Hispanic voters, but also highlighted what they said to be some downsides to Rubio's potential selection.
“I'm not 100% sure he's Trump's guy. That's the only thing I would say is that he hasn't always been enthusiastic about Trump. I think this is the one area that I think might be a little troubling for Trump supporters. “That could pose a problem,” the source said.
They were referring to Rubio's past criticism of Trump, including when he called him "reckless and dangerous" while running against him in 2016, and when he said the former president was responsible for "part of what happened" during the January 6 Trump protests. the State House. US Capitol.
“The other issue is whether Rubio is the right person to carry the GOP colors in 2028 and beyond,” the source said. "I think he's a good guy. Don't get me wrong. I think he's been a great senator and he's been very effective. I think he would be a good vice president, but that gives me reason to think about him as a potential candidate and whether he is a loyal Trump supporter.
However, Walking said none of the downsides to Rubio's choice were "particularly significant" but noted that he tends "to be more hawkish than Trump on foreign policy."
He also cited concerns about the 12th Amendment, which prohibits electors from voting for president and vice president if they reside in the same state. Both Rubio and Trump are residents of Florida.
“It’s more likely a speed bump than a real barrier to getting a ticket,” Walking said.
A source close to Rubio's Fox News pointed to the senator's positive performance in states like Virginia and Minnesota during his 2016 primary campaign, suggesting his choice could strengthen Trump in states now seen as potential targets for Republicans .
The source also highlighted Rubio's legislative background, his performance in debates during his next two Senate re-elections since running for president, his ability to communicate, as well as his ability to "get the crowd pumped up," as many things that would make him a good addition to the Republican Party ticket.
A number of other big names have also been invited to join Trump on the Republican ticket, including House GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik, Arkansas Gov. Sarah Sanders, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, Gov. North Dakota Doug Burgum and South Dakota Governor Christie. Noem, Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott.
Trump has suggested he will likely wait until July's Republican National Convention in Milwaukee to nominate his nominee.