With the Republican National Convention slated for next week in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, all eyes are on who former President Donald Trump will select as a running mate.Trump recently told reporters he had narrowed his vice presidential shortlist to a handful of possibilities. However, Trump’s campaign has, on more than one occasion, cautioned that anyone “claiming to know who or when President Trump will choose his VP is lying, unless the person is named Donald J. Trump.”Related video above: Trump weighs strategy, qualifications for his vice presidential pickOn Monday, July 8, Trump said his announcement will come “probably a little before the convention, but not much. It could even be during the convention that we’d do it. I’d love to do it during the convention.”The convention is set for July 15-18.There’s plenty of speculation as to who Trump’s running mate will be. While it’s unknown exactly who is on Trump’s shortlist, here’s a look at some of the contenders who he may be considering.Doug BurgumThe current governor of North Dakota, Burgum is in his second term. He never held political office before running for governor, but he’s become known as a policy wonk.Burgum spent millions on his own White House bid, initially running against Trump for the 2024 GOP nomination, but has since voiced his support of Trump’s campaign.Holding CEO and corporate leadership positions prior to turning to politics, Burgum earned acclaim by taking a software company, Great Plains Software, from a startup into a large firm that was eventually acquired by Microsoft for more than $1 billion. A graduate of Stanford University Graduate School of Business, Burgum amassed wealth via real estate development and venture capital. Burgum, who is 67, is married to Kathryn Burgum and has two sons, Joe and Tom, and a daughter, Jesse.J.D. VanceElected in 2022, Vance is a U.S. Senator from Ohio, who is in his first term.Despite early, fierce public criticism of Trump, Vance has become personally close with the former president and Donald Trump Jr. and has become a fixture of the conservative media circuit, where he has avidly defended the former president.Vance first gained notoriety with his best-selling novel, “Hillbilly Elegy,” which has since been turned into a hit Netflix movie starring Glenn Close. After enlisting in the U.S. Marine Corps, Vance served in Iraq. He later earned degrees from Ohio State University and Yale Law School. He is also a former venture capitalist and a lawyer.Vance, 39, is married to Usha Chilukuri Vance. They have three children.Elise StefanikStefanik is a congresswoman representing Upstate New York and the North Country. At the time of her first election in 2014, she was the youngest woman ever elected to the U.S. Congress.Stefanik’s profile recently rose to prominence after her aggressive questioning of three university presidents over antisemitism on campus, which led to two of their resignations. Trump, whom Stefanik has become a staunch supporter of, has repeatedly praised that performance. Stefanik has spent years ingratiating herself with Trump and positioning herself as one of his most trusted allies and confidantes on Capitol Hill.A Harvard graduate, Stefanik was once an aide to former House Speaker Paul Ryan and served in President George W. Bush’s White House. Stefanik previously worked within her family’s small business, according to her website.Stefanik, 39, has a husband, Matt, and a son, Sam.Marco RubioRubio was first elected to his U.S. Senate seat in 2010 and has developed his public image over the years. A skilled debater who was once viewed as a party hotshot, Rubio ran against Trump in the Republican primary during the 2016 election cycle. Despite past rumbles between the two, Rubio has regularly defended the former president as of late.Before serving as a senator, Rubio, who is the son of Cuban immigrants, was a city commissioner in West Miami. He also previously served in the Florida House of Representatives, where he was house speaker from 2006 to 2008.A lawyer, Rubio earned his law degree from the University of Miami.Rubio, 53, and his wife, Jeanette, have raised four children: Amanda, Daniella, Anthony, and Dominick.If named Trump’s running-mate, it would require Rubio, as per language in the U.S. Constitution, to change residency, since both men are Florida residents. If selected, Rubio would be the first Hispanic person to be a running mate on a major party ticket.Tim ScottAppointed to the U.S. Senate in 2013 by then-governor Nikki Haley, Scott, of South Carolina, Scott retained his seat in a 2014 special election and has held it ever since. He is the only Black Republican in the Senate.Scott ran for the GOP nomination this year but quickly voiced his support for the former president after ending his campaign. Scott frequently worked on a host of policy issues with the Trump White House.Scott graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Charleston Southern University and ran a small business. He previously served on the Charleston City Council, in the South Carolina House of Representatives and the U.S. House of Representatives. An evangelical who was raised by a single mother, Scott announced earlier this year, via social media, that he is engaged to be married.If the former president picks Scott as his running-mate, he would be the first Black person to be named to a Republican presidential ticket. Tom CottonA U.S. Senator from Arkansas, Cotton was elected to the U.S. House in 2012 before winning his Senate seat in 2014.As Cotton, who is 47, becomes a rising voice in the Republican party, Trump has previously considered him for at least one official post and has sought Cotton’s advice when filling government leadership posts.A U.S. Army veteran who served in both Iraq and Afghanistan, Cotton is a hardline conservative known for being an immigration and foreign policy hawk. He is a Harvard-educated attorney. He worked for a time with the U.S. Court of Appeals and in a private law practice. Cotton and his wife, Anna, have two sons, Gabriel and Daniel.Ben CarsonDespite having run against Trump in the 2016 presidential primary, Carson served as the secretary of Housing and Urban Development during Trump’s presidency, and has remained an ally of the former president since.A world-renowned retired neurosurgeon, Carson, 72, served for nearly three decades as director of pediatric neurosurgery at the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center. He first gained notoriety for successfully performing the first separation of twins conjoined at the back of the head.Politically, Carson has a history of controversial comments on abortion, guns and other issues.Carson and his wife, Candy, have three adult sons, as well as a few grandchildren.If the former president picks Carson as his running-mate, he would be the first Black person to be named to a Republican presidential ticket.Byron DonaldsA native of Brooklyn, New York, who was raised by a single mother, Donalds is a Southwest Florida resident and is a congressman representing the state’s 19th District. He was elected to the U.S. House seat in 2016.Donalds, who is 45, has made a name for himself as one of Trump’s most prominent conservative Black supporters and a reliable surrogate on television and at events. Though, he has been known to make controversial statements, especially regarding race. After graduating from Florida State University with a bachelor’s degree, Donalds —before holding his House seat — worked in the banking, finance, and insurance industries, according to his website.Donalds and his wife Erika have three sons, Damon, Darin, and Mason.If named Trump’s running-mate, it would require Donalds, as per language in the U.S. Constitution, to change residency, since both men are Florida residents. If the former president picks Donalds as his running-mate, he would be the first Black person to be named to a Republican presidential ticket. Tulsi GabbardA former Hawaii congresswoman, Gabbard served in the House of Representatives from 2013 to 2021. She was the first American Samoan woman and the first practicing Hindu member in Congress. Gabbard unsuccessfully ran for president as a Democrat in 2020. Afterward, she left the party and became an independent. She also previously served as the vice chair of the Democratic National Committee.Gabbard, 43, is a graduate of Hawaii Pacific University and of the Alabama Military Academy. A combat veteran, Gabbard has served in the Hawaii Army National Guard and the U.S. Army Reserves.Gabbard is married to cinematographer Abraham Williams.Kristi NoemNoem, 52, is the current governor of South Dakota. Elected in 2018, she is the first woman to serve as the state’s governor.Noem has recently attracted attention since The Guardian, in April, revealed details she wrote in her new book about killing a rambunctious puppy.Prior to serving as governor of South Dakota, Noem served in the state’s legislature and as a congresswoman.Noem and her husband, Bryon, raised three children, Kassidy, Kennedy, and Booker, and have three grandchildren.The Associated Press and CNN contributed to this report.
With the Republican National Convention slated for next week in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, all eyes are on who former President Donald Trump will select as a running mate.
Trump recently told reporters he had narrowed his vice presidential shortlist to a handful of possibilities. However, Trump’s campaign has, on more than one occasion, cautioned that anyone “claiming to know who or when President Trump will choose his VP is lying, unless the person is named Donald J. Trump.”
Related video above: Trump weighs strategy, qualifications for his vice presidential pick
On Monday, July 8, Trump said his announcement will come “probably a little before the convention, but not much. It could even be during the convention that we’d do it. I’d love to do it during the convention.”
The convention is set for July 15-18.
There’s plenty of speculation as to who Trump’s running mate will be. While it’s unknown exactly who is on Trump’s shortlist, here’s a look at some of the contenders who he may be considering.
Doug Burgum
The current governor of North Dakota, Burgum is in his second term. He never held political office before running for governor, but he’s become known as a policy wonk.
Burgum spent millions on his own White House bid, initially running against Trump for the 2024 GOP nomination, but has since voiced his support of Trump’s campaign.
Holding CEO and corporate leadership positions prior to turning to politics, Burgum earned acclaim by taking a software company, Great Plains Software, from a startup into a large firm that was eventually acquired by Microsoft for more than $1 billion. A graduate of Stanford University Graduate School of Business, Burgum amassed wealth via real estate development and venture capital.
Burgum, who is 67, is married to Kathryn Burgum and has two sons, Joe and Tom, and a daughter, Jesse.
J.D. Vance
Elected in 2022, Vance is a U.S. Senator from Ohio, who is in his first term.
Despite early, fierce public criticism of Trump, Vance has become personally close with the former president and Donald Trump Jr. and has become a fixture of the conservative media circuit, where he has avidly defended the former president.
Vance first gained notoriety with his best-selling novel, “Hillbilly Elegy,” which has since been turned into a hit Netflix movie starring Glenn Close. After enlisting in the U.S. Marine Corps, Vance served in Iraq. He later earned degrees from Ohio State University and Yale Law School. He is also a former venture capitalist and a lawyer.
Vance, 39, is married to Usha Chilukuri Vance. They have three children.
Elise Stefanik
Stefanik is a congresswoman representing Upstate New York and the North Country. At the time of her first election in 2014, she was the youngest woman ever elected to the U.S. Congress.
Stefanik’s profile recently rose to prominence after her aggressive questioning of three university presidents over antisemitism on campus, which led to two of their resignations. Trump, whom Stefanik has become a staunch supporter of, has repeatedly praised that performance. Stefanik has spent years ingratiating herself with Trump and positioning herself as one of his most trusted allies and confidantes on Capitol Hill.
A Harvard graduate, Stefanik was once an aide to former House Speaker Paul Ryan and served in President George W. Bush’s White House. Stefanik previously worked within her family’s small business, according to her website.
Stefanik, 39, has a husband, Matt, and a son, Sam.
Marco Rubio
Rubio was first elected to his U.S. Senate seat in 2010 and has developed his public image over the years. A skilled debater who was once viewed as a party hotshot, Rubio ran against Trump in the Republican primary during the 2016 election cycle. Despite past rumbles between the two, Rubio has regularly defended the former president as of late.
Before serving as a senator, Rubio, who is the son of Cuban immigrants, was a city commissioner in West Miami. He also previously served in the Florida House of Representatives, where he was house speaker from 2006 to 2008.
A lawyer, Rubio earned his law degree from the University of Miami.
Rubio, 53, and his wife, Jeanette, have raised four children: Amanda, Daniella, Anthony, and Dominick.
If named Trump’s running-mate, it would require Rubio, as per language in the U.S. Constitution, to change residency, since both men are Florida residents. If selected, Rubio would be the first Hispanic person to be a running mate on a major party ticket.
Tim Scott
Appointed to the U.S. Senate in 2013 by then-governor Nikki Haley, Scott, of South Carolina, Scott retained his seat in a 2014 special election and has held it ever since. He is the only Black Republican in the Senate.
Scott ran for the GOP nomination this year but quickly voiced his support for the former president after ending his campaign. Scott frequently worked on a host of policy issues with the Trump White House.
Scott graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Charleston Southern University and ran a small business. He previously served on the Charleston City Council, in the South Carolina House of Representatives and the U.S. House of Representatives.
An evangelical who was raised by a single mother, Scott announced earlier this year, via social media, that he is engaged to be married.
If the former president picks Scott as his running-mate, he would be the first Black person to be named to a Republican presidential ticket.
Tom Cotton
A U.S. Senator from Arkansas, Cotton was elected to the U.S. House in 2012 before winning his Senate seat in 2014.
As Cotton, who is 47, becomes a rising voice in the Republican party, Trump has previously considered him for at least one official post and has sought Cotton’s advice when filling government leadership posts.
A U.S. Army veteran who served in both Iraq and Afghanistan, Cotton is a hardline conservative known for being an immigration and foreign policy hawk. He is a Harvard-educated attorney. He worked for a time with the U.S. Court of Appeals and in a private law practice.
Cotton and his wife, Anna, have two sons, Gabriel and Daniel.
Ben Carson
Despite having run against Trump in the 2016 presidential primary, Carson served as the secretary of Housing and Urban Development during Trump’s presidency, and has remained an ally of the former president since.
A world-renowned retired neurosurgeon, Carson, 72, served for nearly three decades as director of pediatric neurosurgery at the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center. He first gained notoriety for successfully performing the first separation of twins conjoined at the back of the head.
Politically, Carson has a history of controversial comments on abortion, guns and other issues.
Carson and his wife, Candy, have three adult sons, as well as a few grandchildren.
If the former president picks Carson as his running-mate, he would be the first Black person to be named to a Republican presidential ticket.
Byron Donalds
A native of Brooklyn, New York, who was raised by a single mother, Donalds is a Southwest Florida resident and is a congressman representing the state’s 19th District. He was elected to the U.S. House seat in 2016.
Donalds, who is 45, has made a name for himself as one of Trump’s most prominent conservative Black supporters and a reliable surrogate on television and at events. Though, he has been known to make controversial statements, especially regarding race.
After graduating from Florida State University with a bachelor’s degree, Donalds —before holding his House seat — worked in the banking, finance, and insurance industries, according to his website.
Donalds and his wife Erika have three sons, Damon, Darin, and Mason.
If named Trump’s running-mate, it would require Donalds, as per language in the U.S. Constitution, to change residency, since both men are Florida residents. If the former president picks Donalds as his running-mate, he would be the first Black person to be named to a Republican presidential ticket.
Tulsi Gabbard
A former Hawaii congresswoman, Gabbard served in the House of Representatives from 2013 to 2021. She was the first American Samoan woman and the first practicing Hindu member in Congress. Gabbard unsuccessfully ran for president as a Democrat in 2020. Afterward, she left the party and became an independent. She also previously served as the vice chair of the Democratic National Committee.
Gabbard, 43, is a graduate of Hawaii Pacific University and of the Alabama Military Academy. A combat veteran, Gabbard has served in the Hawaii Army National Guard and the U.S. Army Reserves.
Gabbard is married to cinematographer Abraham Williams.
Kristi Noem
Noem, 52, is the current governor of South Dakota. Elected in 2018, she is the first woman to serve as the state’s governor.
Noem has recently attracted attention since The Guardian, in April, revealed details she wrote in her new book about killing a rambunctious puppy.
Prior to serving as governor of South Dakota, Noem served in the state’s legislature and as a congresswoman.
Noem and her husband, Bryon, raised three children, Kassidy, Kennedy, and Booker, and have three grandchildren.
The Associated Press and CNN contributed to this report.
