Rubio, Once a Trump Critic, Possibly Considered for 2024 VP Ticket

The process of selecting former President Donald Trump’s running mate for November is gaining momentum, with one potential name on the shortlist expected to instill the most fear among Democrats.

Florida GOP Sen. Marco Rubio, who was critical of Trump during the lead-up to Trump’s election in 2015, once criticized the former president as “thin-skinned” and ignorant about policy. Now, he has aligned himself with Trump.

Things have changed.

“Rubio is a familiar face who has emerged as one of the most vocal supporters of the America First agenda in the Senate, is effective on TV, and can strongly criticize Biden for his unsuccessful policies,” said an unnamed GOP strategist to Fox News.

GOP strategist and former deputy communications director for Trump’s 2020 presidential campaign Matt Wolking has also expressed support for Rubio, calling him “a effective, disciplined communicator who rarely makes mistakes.”

“By demonstrating his ability to secure a slightly higher percentage of white voters in Florida in 2022 compared to Trump in 2020, he also appeals to suburban and independent voters, which are crucial for Trump’s success, and is the only candidate from a true battleground state,” Wolking told the outlet.

He also mentioned that Rubio would provide balance to the 2024 ticket and bring experience from the Senate Intelligence Committee, which could assist Trump in “reining in rogue agencies.”

Another source predicted that Rubio’s Latino heritage would attract Hispanic voters, but cautioned that there could be drawbacks.

“I’m not sure he’s fully aligned with Trump,” the source told the outlet. “That’s one thing I would say, that he has not always been enthusiastic about Trump. I think that could be a bit concerning to Trump’s loyal supporters. That could be an issue.”

Rubio’s previous criticism of Trump includes blaming the former president for some of the events during the Jan. 6 Capitol protests.

“The other question is whether Rubio is the right person to represent the Republican party in 2028 and beyond,” the source said. “I think he’s a good man. Don’t get me wrong. I think he’s been a great Senator, effective. I think he would make a more than capable vice president, but it makes me pause when thinking about him as a potential candidate, and whether he’s a loyal follower of Trump.”

Wolking, however, mentioned that none of the drawbacks to Rubio’s selection were significant, although he noted that Rubio tends to be more aggressive than Trump in terms of foreign policy.

Several other prominent GOP figures have also been mentioned as possible vice presidential choices, including House GOP Conference chair Elise Stefanik of New York, Arkansas Gov. Sarah Sanders, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott.

Trump has indicated that he will announce his vice presidential pick at the July Republican National Convention.