The Trump Veepstakes intrigue is heating up again, with Sens. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) and Gov. Doug Burgum (R-N.D.) reportedly on the latest short list. I've been rather skeptical of this shortlist because of Rubio's inclusion. Not that he wouldn't make a good running mate, but Rubio couldn't be Trump's running mate for the same reason that Ron DeSantis couldn't be.
According to the 12th Amendment, "The Electors shall meet in their respective states, and vote by ballot for President and Vice-President, one of whom, at least, shall not be an inhabitant of the same state with themselves." This is widely interpreted to mean that a ticket can't have candidates hailing from the same state, and is the reason why Dick Cheney had to officially change his residency to Wyoming to be George W. Bush's running mate.
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I still think Trump is most likely going to pick a woman. Earlier this year, sources close to Trump revealed that one issue that is likely to guide Trump in his search for a running mate is abortion, which tells me that he’s more likely to pick a woman as a running mate—someone who could be a more effective messenger on the issue.
Now, this leads to me mentioning a report from NewsNation that says that Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears is "the one to watch" in the Trump Veepstakes.
“Republicans want someone in law enforcement,” my source said. “With all this (redacted) going on on college campuses right now, the Republicans want to double down and show they are all about the law. Right now, the Democrats are showing they can not and will not govern. (Sears) is a former Marine and is tough on crime. It doesn’t hurt that she’s an African American woman either.”
Sears served as an electrician in the Marines from 1983 to 1986 and did not re-enlist.
A hurdle (or not) is that she was born in Jamaica and thus, could never serve as the President of the United States — something my source says Trump sees as a benefit as she would never seek to oust him. But, it is unclear if she would be able to perform the duties of the President should Trump become ill, hospitalized, or die in office due to the country of her birth.
Earle-Sears is, without a doubt, a rising star in Republican politics, but, once again, the 12th Amendment is a problem here, because it says, clear as day, that "no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice-President of the United States." It's too bad really, because so far, there's nothing not to like about her. She doesn't shy away from controversy, whether it's correctly calling out Kentanji Brown Jackson for being nominated to the Supreme Court because she is black, or calling a male legislator who thinks he's a woman "sir," I'm repeatedly finding myself crushed by her constitutional ineligibility for vice president and president.
So, with that out of the way, who is Trump going to choose? Rumors suggest it won't be too long now.
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