Trump’s triple threat: What the former president’s VP finalists bring to the table

Former President Donald Trump’s final decision on his vice presidential pick is likely just days away, with the final day of the Republican National Convention, July 18, viewed as a solid deadline for the announcement.

The announcement could even come as soon as Tuesday, when Trump will hold a rally near Miami with Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) in attendance. In the meantime, Trump has been rumored to have narrowed down his list of vice presidential candidates to three: Rubio, Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH), and Gov. Doug Burgum (R-ND).

Here’s what they bring to the table.

Marco Rubio

WHO IS MARCO RUBIO? MEET ONE OF THE EIGHT TOP NAMES ON TRUMP’S VP SHORT LIST

Rubio has the most government experience of the three by far, with about 26 years of local, state, and national experience. As a Cuban-American, he also likely appeals to a growing Hispanic constituency in the United States that the Trump campaign has made a point of attracting.

He has not lacked ambition in his career. He previously ran against Trump for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination and finished third in the delegate count and fourth in the popular vote. Given his prior ventures, Rubio also likely has the most name recognition of the three.

Rubio did have some contentious moments with Trump during that 2016 cycle, once calling him a “con artist,” but he seems to have made up with the former president in the time since. Some have even viewed his recent vote against Ukraine aid as a sign that he is trying to move closer to Trump’s positions.

One large mark against Rubio is that, given his prior fame, he may overshadow the former president, something that some believe Trump may take into account.

Rubio’s path to the White House on a Trump ticket is also complicated by his Florida residency. One of either Trump or Rubio would have to go through the process of changing their home state if they want to be eligible for Florida’s 30 Electoral College votes Republicans are all but guaranteed to secure in November.

JD Vance

WHO IS JD VANCE? MEET ONE OF THE EIGHT TOP NAMES ON TRUMP’S VP SHORT LIST

Vance fits the political outsider mold that used to apply to Trump, having only about 1 1/2 years of political experience. However, he’s been a staunch defender of Trump in recent years and was a popular pick among conservatives at Turning Point USA’s The People’s Convention, winning 43% of the vote in a vice presidential straw poll.

Like Trump, he’s also had a movie made after himself, Hillbilly Elegy, which is based on his 2016 memoir. Trump has been featured in multiple movies and media series, including most recently as the primary character in The Apprentice, which stars Sebastian Stan as the former president.

Another mark for Vance could be his friendship with Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr., a pair who apparently “text or talk nearly daily.” Vance, 39, would be the third-youngest vice president in U.S. history if Trump is elected and chooses the senator as his running mate.

Doug Burgum

WHO IS DOUG BURGUM? MEET ONE OF THE EIGHT TOP NAMES ON TRUMP’S VP SHORT LIST

Burgum, too, shares many similarities with the former president. He comes from a billionaire background and has been directly involved in politics since late 2016 when he was elected as North Dakota’s governor.

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He also fits the bill as a lesser-known vice presidential candidate, someone less likely to overshadow Trump. However, Burgum has only very recently come to support Trump consistently, going as far as to attend his criminal trial in New York in support. Burgum attacked Trump just last year when he was challenging him for the presidential nomination, saying he wouldn’t do business with him and that “you’re judged by the company you keep.”

A significant tool in Burgum’s vice presidential candidacy is his time as governor. With that experience, Burgum could settle into the role easier than others who have been pure legislators such as Rubio and Vance.