Marco Rubio, the senator from Florida, is gaining popularity among donors as a potential running mate for ex-president Donald Trump. As Trump eyes potential VP picks able to boost both his funds and voter appeal, Rubio has come into focus. During a recent Republican gathering at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort, attendees noted the surge of donor attention toward Rubio.
Rubio, despite his previous clash with Trump in the 2016 presidential nomination, has emerged as a strong possible choice for the former president. Nicknamed “Little Marco” by Trump in the 2016 campaign amid spats over hand size, Rubio has since shown support for Trump in his role as US Senate vice-chair of the intelligence committee.
Including Rubio in the race for VP places him among other notable Republicans such as senators JD Vance and Tim Scott. However, if Rubio is chosen as Trump’s running mate, he will have to relocate from Florida due to a constitutional stipulation that demands the president and vice-president reside in separate states.
Trump sees his vice-presidential choice as a chance to solidify his election campaign’s message and garner additional support from various Republican Party factions before the July Republican convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Back in 2016, his running mate choice of Mike Pence played a crucial role in securing votes from evangelical Republicans and traditional conservatives.
Rubio’s representative declined to remark on if he would consider the VP position if offered.
Indeed, Trump is relishing the competitive atmosphere surrounding his search for a VP candidate, particularly enjoying the potential for raising money for both his presidential campaign against Joe Biden and burgeoning legal expenses. Between various criminal and civil lawsuits, donors have already covered over $76 million, approximately one-quarter, of Trump’s total legal costs since January 2023.
Prospective running partners with deep wallets such as Doug Burgum, the governor of North Dakota, Vivek Ramaswamy, a free-spirit business tycoon, and the financier Rick Scott, could fund their own campaign. Senators Marco Rubio and Tim Scott have well-established connections with major conservative financiers.
A gathering is to be conducted in Washington DC on 19th June, hosted by Tim Scott, which will witness the presence of powerhouse patrons including Ken Griffin, the head honcho at Citadel, Marc Rowan from Apollo, and Bill Ackman from Pershing Square, all of whom had earlier supported contenders against Trump in this year’s Republican primary. Other attendees would include Tim Dunn, a billionaire magnate in the oil industry and a Trump contributor, as well as Silicon Valley investor Marc Andreessen.
Although Trump’s political allies have suggested “Maga” candidates such as Vance as suitable running mate options, the consensus among supporters is that Trump employs a candidate who resonates with more than his dedicated followers. As expressed by Pauline Ng Lee, a Republican from Nevada set to co-host a Trump fundraiser in June, either Rubio or Scott could help draw a larger, more diverse mix of Republicans, nonpartisans, and even some balanced Democrats.
The pick for Trump’s running mate would decide if Art Pope, a businessman and major patron who supported Nikki Haley’s primary campaign against Trump this year, would back the ex-president. Pope urged Trump to choose someone who “embodies the broader centre-right, traditional conservative coalition, rather than a populist”.
Rubio, who’s of Cuban-American descent, and Scott, the only Black Republican senator, could potentially attract Hispanic and African-American voters from the current base of Biden.
Rubio has been successful in raising funds due to his years of relationship-building within the American Latino community which is significant in politics, as pointed out by Mr Helberg.
Long-time favourite JD Vance, who’s known to be in close ties with Trump’s son, Donald Jnr, maintains his popularity among sponsors despite having expressed disapproval of Trump’s “America First” viewpoint in 2016. As donor Trevor Traina, who was Trump’s ambassador to Austria, mentioned, Vance would make an ideal pick due to his credibility, intellect and aptitude along with his strong connections to Trump’s core base of working-class people, despite an inclination towards diversity.
Potential female vice-presidential candidates speculated on by contributors include Elise Stefanik, a Member of Congress, and Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the Governor of Arkansas with a former role as Trump’s White House spokesperson. Kristi Noem, the South Dakota Governor had appeared a promising choice until she caused outrage revealing in her autobiography that she had euthanised her own pet dog. New York tycoon John Catsimatidis, who has acted as co-host for significant Trump fundraisers, suggested to The Financial Times that Noem’s chance have been compromised by her actions. The list of possible candidates also features Trump’s past Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo. It is anticipated that Trump will demand a higher level of allegiance from his vice president than he received from Pence, whose refusal to support Trump’s efforts to reverse the 2020 election outcome disappointed him.
-Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2024.