Former President Donald Trump has started vetting eight Republicans as potential vice presidential candidates — but that hasn’t stopped a number of other potential picks from trying to stay on his radar.
Their supporters are publicly lobbying for them. Some are going on television to directly appeal to Trump. One continues to be a MAGA faithful favorite. In another instance, donors are pushing Trump to pick their favored Republican.
Trump isn’t expected to announce his pick until the Republican National Convention in mid-July, and his campaign has emphasized that Trump himself will be the only one to make the announcement, and that anyone who claims to know who he’ll pick is lying.
“As President Trump has said himself, the top criteria in selecting a vice president is a strong leader who will make a great president for eight years after President Trump’s four-year term,” said Brian Hughes, senior adviser to the Trump campaign.
With the stakes so high, many are trying to keep any avenues open. Here’s a list of candidates not on the publicly known list, who could be seen as wild cards if they were somehow to get another look.
