Samantha Neely, Zac Anderson and Phillip M. Bailey, USA TODAY NETWORK - Florida
·6 min read
Former President Donald Trump is expected to announce his vice presidential pick any day now, with the entire country (and world) waiting.
As speculation ramps up for who will stand alongside Trump, several notable names have come up over and over again as top picks for his running mate in the 2024 race for the White House.
Here are three Floridians, both native or newcomers to the state, who might end up represent the entire country this January. See their pros and cons, according to USA TODAY experts:
Byron Donalds
PROS:
As one of the few Black conservatives in Congress, Donalds would be a historic choice at a time when the GOP is regularly accused of embracing anti-diversity policies.
Donalds emerged as an influential voice among the House’s more stringent conservative members after twice being nominated as an alternative to Rep. Kevin McCarthy during a fight over the speaker’s seat in January 2023.
The Florida congressman doesn’t back down from a fight in the face of liberal attacks, which appeals to Trump's political persona. That also could be turned into an asset in a debate joust with Vice President Kamala Harris.
CONS:
Donalds represents a Florida district that is roughly 6% Black, creating questions over whether he can deliver minority voters for Trump.
A two-term congressman, Donalds is more of a show horse known for his TV appearances than legislative heavy lifting. He isn’t in the GOP leadership pipeline, and he didn’t have much leadership experience during his four years as a Florida state legislator, either.
See AlsoTennessee wins the 2024 Men's College World SeriesEuro 2024 scores, highlights: Denmark finish second in group on wild yellow card tiebreaker; England drawWhy Bryson DeChambeau, not Scottie Scheffler, is actually having the best major season of 2024Sports TV’s Multibillion-Dollar Rights Race: Where the Leaderboard Stands Right NowDonalds and Trump are both from Florida, which means that under the U.S. Constitution one of them would have to move to collect the state’s electoral votes. If Donalds does so, he would have to leave Congress.
Marco Rubio
PROS:
A fluent Spanish speaker, Rubio could help Trump reach Hispanic voters who increasingly are trending Republican.
Rubio was a darling of the GOP establishment when he ran for president in 2016 and still appeals to many traditional Republicans, which could help Trump win over voters who have cast ballots for Nikki Haley in the primary.
Rubio’s considerable foreign policy experience could be an asset in an election where conflicts in Ukraine and Israel will be front and center
CONS:
Because both Trump and Rubio live in Florida, under the U.S. Constitution the state’s GOP delegates can’t vote for them both. That means Rubio likely would have to move. Trump has mentioned this as a concern.
Some in Trump’s MAGA base still are suspicious of Rubio because of his past support for comprehensive immigration reform and nasty 2016 primary fight with Trump.
Florida isn’t considered a battleground state anymore, so selecting the senator wouldn’t help Trump carry a key swing state.
Tucker Carlson
PROS:
The former Fox News host remains a face of conservative media who knows how to craft a message that appeals to Trump’s MAGA base.
See Also2025 recruiting threadA 2023 Gallup poll showed Carlson is the most popular news figure in the U.S, and that stems largely from being seen as a forbearer of Trumpism. The two share a distaste for liberal social causes, a skepticism of the U.S. intelligence community and a more isolationist foreign policy, particularly in terms of Russia.
Carlson and Trump have shown a good working rapport, at least publicly. Trump skipped the first GOP presidential debate in 2023 and opted for a 45-minute talk with Carlson instead.
CONS:
Carlson’s true feelings about Trump were revealed as part of evidence in a lawsuit against Fox News. “I hate him passionately,” the TV host said in a text message to colleagues.
Carlson is a polarizing figure with years of controversial comments who is known to flirt with conspiracy theories that could further alienate independent voters. He was the centerpiece of a $1.6 billion lawsuit against Fox News by Dominion Voting Systems, which was the subject of false allegations about the 2020 election.
Being as popular as the person at the top of the ticket could be a disqualification. VP picks historically don’t outpace the presidential nominee.
Who else is on Donald Trump's short list for vice president?
In addition to the three Floridians, there are least 16 other people have been mentioned as possible picks to serve as Trump's running mate:
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott
U.S. Senator in Alabama Katie Britt
North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum
Former Housing and Urban Development secretary Ben Carson
U.S. Senator in Arkansas Tom Cotton
Former Hawaii Senator Tulsi Gabbard
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders
Former TV newscaster and candidate for U.S. senator in Arizona Kari Lake
U.S. Rep. from South Carolina Nancy Mace
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem
Former biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy
U.S. Senator from South Carolina Tim Scott
U.S. Senator from New York Elise Stefanik
U.S. Rep. from Georgia Marjorie Taylor Greene
U.S. Senator from Ohio JD Vance
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin
When is Donald Trump expected to announce a vice president?
There is not a set date for when Trump will announce his pick for vice president. However, USA Today said experts anticipate an announcement around the start of the Republican National Convention on Monday July 15 in Milwaukee, if not sooner.
Who was Trump's vice president in 2017? What happened to Mike Pence after 2020?
Michael R. Pence servedasthe 48thvice president under Trump's president. Prior to the position, Pence was the governor of Indiana from 2013 until 2017.
After Trump's term ended, the former vice president released a memoir titled "So Help Me God," which discusses Pence’s life in politics. He also shared his take of the events on Jan. 6 and how it affected his relationship with his former boss.
“For four years, we had a close working relationship. It did not end well,” Pence wrote, highlighted by CBS News. “ … we parted amicably when our service to the nation drew to a close. In the months that followed, we spoke from time to time, but when the president returned to the rhetoric that he was using before that tragic day and began to publicly criticize those of us who defended the Constitution, I decided it would be best to go our separate ways.”
Pence ran for president until he dropped his bid in October 2023. He said he is not endorsing Trump's 2024 presidential bid.
Has there ever been a vice president from Florida?
There has never been a vice president from Florida. New York has housed the most of any state, being the birth state of eight vice presidents.
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Trump VP pick coming soon. 3 Florida men on short list
