As former President Donald Trump prepares to announce his vice presidential nominee at the Republican National Committee convention, there are some decisions he can make that could improve his chances of winning.
One of the finalists for Trump’s running mate is JD Vance. A military veteran and U.S. Senator from Ohio, he embodies working-class values ​​and has a sturdy understanding of Trump’s political vision. Vance’s political acumen and agreement with Trump on key issues such as foreign policy and border security make him a sturdy candidate. Vance’s candidacy would bolster Trump’s support in key Rust Belt states such as Michigan and Wisconsin.
There are many advantages to choosing Vance as vice president, and although Trump has said he will not announce his vice presidential nominee until the Republican National Convention, Vance, Gov. Doug Burgum (R-ND) and Dr. Ben Carson are apparently at the top of the list of finalists. On the other hand, Trump could surprise everyone and choose someone who was never mentioned as a vice presidential nominee at all.
Chances for Trump as Vice President
Doug Burgum 5/2
JD Vance 4/1
Ben Carson 4/1
Marco Rubio 6/1
Tim Scott 8/1
Byron Donalds 11/1
Elise Stefanik 14/1
Sarah H. Sanders 14/1
Tulsi Gabbard 20/1
Nikki Haley 22/1
Tom Cotton 25/1
Ron DeSantis 75/1
Candace Owens 200/1pic.twitter.com/BPmgY6XsxS— BetOnline (@BetOnline_ag) 20 June 2024
However, there are also some downsides for Vance, not least that he would leave his Senate seat vacant and risk a Democrat winning that seat. And then there are his negative comments about Trump in 2016, which the mainstream media could continue to circulate until the November election. Indeed, many people opposed Trump as the GOP nominee back then, but things have changed. Some of those critics have since changed their minds, found a common political position, and are on board for another four years of Trump’s presidency.
Trump mentioned Vance’s comments in April 2022:
“He’s a guy who said bad things about me. He did. He did. But you know what? So did everybody else. If I went by that standard, I probably would never have endorsed anybody in the country,” Trump said when introducing Vance. “Ultimately, I put that aside.” pic.twitter.com/Op5y41XmTC
— Caleb Howe (@CalebHowe) 23 April 2022
They seem to have sorted out the situation and are getting along well, especially since Vance is one of the favorites for the vice-presidency and is one of Trump’s fiercest defenders in the media.
Cons aside, Vance is effective and a true champion of policy. Ultimately, what matters is what political views a potential running mate holds and, more importantly, that he or she does not deviate from his or her political views.
As mentioned above, Doug Burgum is considered a top candidate and would also be a sturdy choice for Trump, but he would be better suited to a cabinet position than vice president. Dr. Ben Carson is also still being discussed. Frankly, any of the three would be sturdy choices.
So should Vance ultimately be chosen as vice president? Many would apparently want to keep all the Senate seats and not risk a Democrat winning another seat. However, Vance’s military background, intelligence, unwavering policy stances, time in the venture capital industry, and degree from Yale Law School make him a sturdy choice. I believe Vance should be chosen as vice president for the reasons stated above and because he can support Trump raise funds from non-traditional GOP donors.
It is worth noting that Vance organized the Trump fundraiser with David Sacks in Silicon Valley earlier this month, which raised $12 million.
Tonight $12 million raised! Incredible support for @realDonaldTrump. No empty space in the attractive house of @DavidSacks and Jacqueline. I am pleased that the technology leaders are getting involved! pic.twitter.com/r4LIbrh4nA
— Harmeet K. Dhillon (@pnjaban) June 7, 2024
