Donald Trump’s Potential VPs All Flocked to Atlanta Debate To Support Ex-Prez

As Donald Trump and Joe Biden engaged in their first 2024 presidential debate, a significant side-plot emerged on the Atlanta CNN debate set—the scramble for the GOP frontrunner's vice-presidential spot. Trump's prospective VPs and surrogates—North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio—flocked to the debate to praise the former president. Even several long-shot candidates, such as businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, former housing secretary Ben Carson, Elise Stefanik, and Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida, popped in, as per USA TODAY.

Over the last week, reports suggesting that Trump might announce his running mate decision at the Republican convention in Milwaukee have intensified. “He’s told some people, yeah,” Lara Trump, daughter-in-law and co-chair of the Republican National Committee, revealed during an interview with NBC News' Tom Llamas. Rubio, a prominent figure in the ongoing VP speculation, stated in a post-debate interview with CNN, "We'll know who it is at some point in the next two weeks."

All the vice-presidential hopefuls who traveled to Atlanta engaged with the media, delivering interviews and appearing in the 'spin room' to extol Trump's debate performance and criticize Biden’s. Burgum deemed Donald’s debate showing as 'very strong' while noting Biden faced 'challenges...just delivering a message.' On social media platform X, Vance echoed, "Trump has so much more energy and clarity than Biden, it’s just an insane contrast. One guy can do the job and the other can’t."

Stefanik, on the other hand, expressed her honor at being considered. She stated, “I’m proud to be a good friend of President Trump.” Additionally, Ramaswamy, acknowledging the uncertainty of his prospects, opined, “He has not asked me to be his vice president. Whoever he asks is going to have, I think, a remarkable ability to serve this country in taking that America First agenda even further.”

The anticipation surrounding Trump's VP announcement is building as he plans a post-debate rally in southeastern Virginia, as per ABC News. The ex-president has hinted at revealing his choice around the Republican convention scheduled for July 15-18. In a Newsmax interview, Trump mentioned, “We’ll make a decision fairly soon and I think people will be very happy with this decision.”

This spectacle of loyalty and ambition is reminiscent of the real estate mogul's first vice-presidential selection process in 2016. During that campaign, he created a similar atmosphere of suspense and speculation. After a series of leaks, he announced his selection of Indiana Gov. Mike Pence as his running mate just days before the Republican National Convention. Trump made the official reveal via a tweet on July 15, followed by a formal announcement the next day. Pence’s selection was strategic, aimed at unifying the Republican Party and bolstering Trump's appeal to conservative voters; the ex-prez will probably pick somebody who offers a similar electoral edge this time.