One of the front runners to be Donald Trump’s running mate is now “extremely unlikley” to be selected as his vice president candidate, according to a report.
South Carolina Senator Tim Scott currently has the second-best odds to be Trump’s partner on the ticket come November. However, a New York Post report puts a damper on his chances.
“I think it is extremely unlikely he will be picked,” a source told the outlet. “You go down the list of reasons to choose a VP and he isn’t a standout or game changer in any category.” Another source said Scott’s “star has become less bright for sure.”
Scott is one of several VP candidates who is being vetted by the campaign, The Independent previously reported. North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum has the best odds currently. Other names beign looked at include Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, Senator JD Vance of Ohio, Florida Rep. Bryon Donalds, former Trump Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson, Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton and New York Rep. Elise Stefanik.
Officials working for Trump’s campaign had hoped that Scott could bring in Black voters.
The source told the Post the senator “might not resonate with the Black community in a way that’s worth putting him on the ticket.” Still, Scott could see himself as a member of the former president’s Cabinet.
A couple of people speculated that the contender’s personality could be one of the reasons why he might not be chosen.
One source told the newspaper: “I suspect his biggest issue is that he’s just not very good on TV.”
While Trump has said little specifically about the candidate he will choose, analysts have speculated that the Republican frontrunner will likely pick someone who is loyal and does well in the media.
Trump has said he plans to announce his vice president candidate at the Republican National Convention in July.
“Trump is looking for three things,” one source said. “He’s looking for who can raise money, he’s looking for who is an effective surrogate on TV with adversarial media and he’s looking at who will do the best job debating Kamala Harris.”
Responding to the report, Nathan Brand, a representative for Scott, said the senator believes “this election is about creating opportunity, growing the party and saving the American dream, regardless of who is on the ticket.”
Last week, Scott launched a new $14million campaign targeting minority voters in key states, according to the Assocaited Press. The effort is being overseen by Scott’s Great Opporutnity PAC, which was created after he suspended his campaign during the Republican primary.
“Much to the chagrin of many folks, there’s no doubt that African American men are wide open for a political shift of partisanship,” Scott said.
