MILWAUKEE — They were seen as the future of the Republican Party, perfect VP picks for former President Donald Trump to broaden his appeal.
But in choosing Vance, Trump left behind four talented GOP members of Congress: Sens. Tim Scott (S.C.), Marco Rubio (Fla.), House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik and Rep. Byron Donalds (Fla.).
Let’s dig in to what could be next for these four Republicans.
Marco Rubio: Rubio has had a rough go of it since 2016. He and Trump were bitter rivals in the GOP primary that year and had several heated exchanges. It took a while for them to repair their relationship, but they did. The pair grew closer as of late, and Rubio was suddenly a top contender to be Trump’s running mate. Rubio and his allies were convinced up until the last minute that he’d be the pick.
We’re told by sources close to both Rubio and Trump that the two camps were in contact over the last 10 days in particular over how to resolve the residency issues that Rubio would pose for the GOP ticket. Candidates on the same ticket must reside in different states, so Rubio would have had to move out of Florida.
The conversations “revolved around whether both sides could feel 100% confident in the legal grounds on the residency question,” said one of the sources, “because nobody was interested in a protracted legal battle after the election that hinged on this question.”
That doesn’t mean that Trump would’ve otherwise chosen Rubio. But it was clear that the residency issue was a problem.
As for Rubio’s political future, he was reelected in 2022 and is just 53. If Republicans win the Senate majority, as they’re favored to do, Rubio would be in line to chair the Senate Intelligence Committee, an influential post.
Tim Scott: The only Black Senate Republican, Scott was a top contender for Trump’s VP among pundits for much of the past two years. It was never enough for the former House member. We wouldn’t be surprised to see the South Carolina Republican taking a post in a second Trump administration, though. A lot of GOP insiders take that as a given already.
Despite a presidential run, Scott still managed to lead Republicans on the Senate Banking Committee through a rough couple of years for the financial system — a miniature banking crisis in 2023 and a political implosion at a crucial banking regulator this year to name just two. In that time, we only detected Scott’s veep aspirations once or twice during banking committee hearings.
Elise Stefanik: It’s impossible to say what’s going on in a lawmaker’s head — unless they tell you themselves. But the orbit around the House Republican Conference chair wanted her to be vice president. Or at least they wanted everyone to think she was in the running.
Stefanik, 40, has now been in the House for nine years. It wouldn’t surprise us if Trump tapped her for a Cabinet post. She’s been sufficiently — read totally — loyal to Trump. Stefanik got lots of attention for her grilling of university presidents during the hearings on antisemitism. Could she be the secretary of education? Possible. Stefanik also serves on the House Intelligence Committee and has taken a larger role on the global stage. U.N. ambassador has been in Stefanik-world’s sights.
Byron Donalds: In many ways, Donalds was the most interesting choice for Trump. A popular young congressman from Florida, many in Trump’s circle believed that Donalds would’ve helped Trump make inroads with Black voters. But Donalds now seems primed for a run for governor of the Sunshine State.
