NEW YORK - Five Republicans have emerged as the most likely to be announced at the Republican National Convention later this month as Donald Trump's running mate on the November ballot - and none of them are from Illinois, but one is from neighboring Indiana.
The top five, the Washington Post says, are: #5. U.S. Senator Jeff Sessions from Alabama; #4. Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin; and #3 - Indiana Governor Mike Pence.
The Indiana governor is headed to New York City this weekend to meet with Trump and is being formally vetted, according to NBC News. Pence is a bit of a late arrival to the veepstakes as his name has only emerged publicly this week. He does make a lot of sense for Trump, however. Pence is someone with strong ties to social conservatives, a voting bloc Trump continues to struggle to attract, and has spent time not only in Congress but also as a member of GOP leadership. Pence is also telegenic and a gifted communicator who hails from the part of the country — the upper Midwest — that Trump badly needs to make competitive.
And the top two VP candidates this weekend appear to be:
#2 New Jersey Governor Chris Christie - who endorsed Trump shortly after he dropped out of the 2016 GOP race himself; and #1 former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who hails from Georgia.
Gingrich is at the top, the WaPo writes, because
He wakes up in the morning with 10 new policy ideas, he has spent time at the heights of Washington and he loves nothing more than upending the alleged wisdom of the political elites. Gingrich's weaknesses are similar to Trump's — he veers off message often, his personal life has been complicated and his ego is, well, massive — but Gingrich's recent decision to change his position on trade — he helped pass NAFTA but now says he supports Trump's more protectionist approach — suggests he knows he's very much in the running and wants to make clear he very much wants the job.
Illinois' top Republicans - Governor Bruce Rauner and U.S. Senator Mark Kirk - have both said they will not be attending the Republican National Convention this year. Kirk has been outspoken in his dismissal of Trump, who will be just above Kirk on Illinois' ballot in November.
Who would you like to see emerge at the top with Trump?
