The process of choosing a running mate for the Republican ticket has begun even as the GOP remains uncertain over who will be its standard bearer in this years election.
Businessman Donald Trump, currently in the lead in the delegate count, was asked by USA Today if he could select former primary rivals like U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla. and Gov. Scott Walker, R-Wisc., as his understudy. The USA Today interview ran Monday.
Asked if he would name Rubio to his administration or as running mate, Trump said that was a possibility.
“Yes. I like Marco Rubio. Yeah. I could,” Trump told USA Today. “There are people I have in mind in terms of vice president. I just haven’t told anybody names. ... I do like Marco.”
Trump also looked at Walker and Gov. John Kasich, R-Ohio, who is currently running for the nomination, far behind Trump and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas.
“I do like (John) Kasich," Trump said. “I like (Scott) Walker actually in a lot of ways. I hit him very hard. ... But I’ve always liked him. There are people I like, but I don’t think they like me because I have hit them hard.”
Trump also dismissed Rubio’s attacks including his “small hands” jab.
“He made a mistake,” Trump said. “He became Don Rickles for about four days, and then I became worse than Don Rickles.”
In the meantime, another former presidential candidate backing Cruz is also getting vice presidential buzz. Businesswoman Carly Fiorina ended her campaign after poor showings in Iowa and New Hampshire. But she won applause for her performances in the debates and has become one of Cruz’s most effective surrogates.This past weekend, Fiorina appeared on “Election Central with Rita Cosby” on WABC Radio and was asked about being on the ticket.
“Your name has come up quite a bit as a VP choice for Ted Cruz, and maybe someone else too if it isn’t Cruz,” Cosby said. “What’s your reaction?"
“Well look, all of that talk is obviously very flattering and so I am flattered by it,” Fiorina answered. “But I think one of the problems with this election honestly has been that we are always jumping ahead. I mean here we are, no one would have predicted where we are right now. And I don’t think anyone can predict where this is going, and so what I’m focused on honestly, in the immediate term, is making sure that Ted Cruz, not Donald Trump is our nominee. Making sure that he goes into that convention in as strong a position as possible. So let’s just… uhh… I’m focused on getting him the nomination, let’s start with that.”
“That’s not a no," Cosby said.
“I’ve learned in life, never say never about all kinds of things,” Fiorina said. “I didn’t think I’d run for president either, but I did.”
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
