As Donald Trump heads toward the Republican Party’s presidential nomination after winning the first two Republican primaries, speculation is focused on who he might choose as his running mate.
But those close to the former president reportedly made efforts “early on” to recruit a surprise contender: former Democratic candidate RFK Jr.
The now independent presidential candidate immediately caught the attention of the Trump campaign when Bobby announced his run for the White House in April 2023, insiders told the newspaper. New York Post.
“Trump operatives showed early interest in Kennedy, but it was all premature,” they said. Despite the unlikely combination, the source clarified: “Anything is possible. I wouldn’t write it off under any circumstances.’
While Kennedy may not be out of the running, Trump cryptically told voters earlier this month that he had already chosen his running mate, but declined to name names.
Robert F Kennedy Jr. was reportedly approached by Trump’s campaign ‘early in the election cycle’, with an insider saying they ‘wouldn’t rule it out’
Trump teased earlier this month that he has already decided who he will choose as his running mate, but declined to name names amid fervent speculation
Kennedy initially ran for the Democratic nomination in the spring of last year, but dropped out and ran as an independent candidate in October, claiming the system was rigged to automatically nominate President Biden.
Although he is a political outsider who has never held public office, Kennedy’s campaign has surprised analysts as he increasingly appears to be a “spoiler” candidate for the two-party system.
Recent polls have shown Kennedy with more than 20 percent support nationwide in a hypothetical general election.
However, since pollsters found that his libertarian platform would draw more from Trump’s base than Biden’s in a close race, it’s not a big surprise that Trump’s team wants to recruit him.
A major donor who bankrolled both Trump and Kennedy’s campaigns told the Post that the possibility of a Trump-RFJ Jr. ticket remains on the table.
‘At this stage it mainly happens behind the scenes. As we move forward, you might see it bubble up a little bit more,” the donor said.
“Bobby can bring new people to the polls.”
Timothy Mellon, a megadonor who has funneled at least $5 million into Kennedy’s SuperPAC, added: “I’ve heard the concept. It’s not surprising.’
The idea of Kennedy appearing on the ballot with Trump was previously floated by former White House strategist Steve Bannon, who said in August that the hypothetical ticket would end in a “huge landslide” for Trump.
While Kennedy may remain a far-fetched running mate candidate, a slew of other names have been floated as potential vice presidents.
Businessman Vivek Ramaswamy (left) has been suggested as a potential running mate for Trump after he withdrew from the Republican primaries
North Dakota Governor Kristi Noem is often seen as a possible option, although an alleged fraud scandal revealed by DailyMail.com may have damaged her chances.
Trump’s former press secretary and current Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders has been a loyal ally of the former president
Following the departure of businessman Vivek Ramaswamy from the Republican primaries, the conservative emerged as a potential option for the former president.
When Trump won the New Hampshire primary, Ramaswamy’s speech praising the front-runner was met with chants of “VP, VP, VP” by Trump’s crowd.
“He will be working with us for a long time,” Trump responded at the reception.
Another name often mentioned is Sarah Huckabee Sanders, former White House press secretary.
Now, Arkansas Gov. Huckabee Sanders has remained a loyal Trump ally in his absence — which fits the bill, as many analysts believe Trump needs to recruit a female running mate to increase his base of female voters.
North Dakota Governor Kristi Noem’s chances took a hit late last year, however, when DailyMail.com exclusively revealed her affair with Trump’s former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski.
The married governor, 51, was seen as a top VP choice because of her “family values” platform but may have fallen down the running mate rankings after the bombshell report.