GOP VP possibilities

 American Reformer:

After Donald Trump wrapped up what just might be the most inevitable primary in American history, energy and enthusiasm seem to be gaining on the Right.

The most up-to-date RealClearPolitics polling average shows Trump up by 1.6 percent nationally over Joe Biden. Even more relevant for his re-election prospects, Trump leads Biden by an average of 3.2 percent in the top battleground states. Despite the protest of evangelical elites, at least 80 percent of evangelicals, if not more, will vote for Trump in the fall.

As Trump gains ground, things are looking a bit bleaker for President Biden’s hopes for a second term in office. The southern border continues to be invaded, trillions are added to the national debt each year, the military is having an increasingly difficult time recruiting white males, mortgage rates look to stay high for the foreseeable future, the U.S. involves itself in yet more wars that further diminishes our reputation abroad, and formerly great American companies like Boeing have clearly lost their way as parts drop from their planes—sometimes in mid-flight.

While Biden’s popularity diminishes, former Republican primary political foes and critics are coalescing around Trump’s campaign. Ben Shapiro and big-money donors who formerly backed Florida Governor Ron DeSantis have publicly declared their support for Trump, and have even pledged to fundraise for him. Trump will need their help, as he currently trails Biden’s impressive $155 million war chest—with $53 million raised in February alone—to his paltry $74 million by comparison.

Make no mistake: Democrats are the party of the rich. Darel Paul reported in the wake of the 2020 election that the top of the Democrats’ famed top-bottom coalition is very well-off, with wealthy suburbs giving their money to Democrats over Republicans by a sizable margin. The Claremont Institute’s Jeremy Carl pointed out after the 2018 midterms that Democrats then controlled all 20 of the richest congressional districts.

Would picking the right running mate boost Trump’s fundraising prospects? A fundraising guru among Republicans in Congress, Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York would likely be the pick if this was the only consideration. But there’s more to choosing a candidate for vice president than amassing funds. Though he did surprisingly well in the governor’s race, New York’s Lee Zeldin still came up short and doesn’t have the national branding that Trump likely desires.

Selecting DeSantis would mimic the Pence pick in 2016: an experienced candidate in Republican circles who has served both as governor and in the U.S. House. DeSantis would allay some of the concerns of D.C. politicos and suburban voters who find Trump distasteful. But his loyalty is an open question, an attribute Trump highly prizes. And like Pence, DeSantis’s true fit with a full-spectrum MAGA policy agenda is another possible source of disagreement.

These possible drawbacks may point to another candidate: Ohio Senator J.D. Vance. The once darling of the elites and the now-populist U.S. senator of my home state, Vance would undoubtedly be an intriguing pick. By doing this, Trump would elevate the one national Republican who looks to have both the brains and courage to lead the party in the decades ahead.
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DeSantis, Stefanick and Vance would all be acceptable to me.  Which one would lock up the most electoral votes  is not clear, but I suspect it would be DeSantis.