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Trump’s strategic VP pick: Who would ‘woo Democrats’ and who would ‘turn out Republicans’

April 22, 2024 | | Print Article

With 2024 shaping up to be what many consider one of the most crucial presidential elections in American history, former President Donald Trump’s choice of a running mate couldn’t be more critical.

A new Daily Mail, J.L. Partners poll reveals which potential veeps would give Trump the biggest bumps among various voters.

“Would Rep. Elise Stefanik or Nikki Haley or Gov. Kristi Noem help him win over the troublesome female suburban vote?” the Daily Mail asks. “Would Sen. Tim Scott or Rep. Byron Donalds help him make further inroads with African-Americans?”

“One of the latest, and perhaps more unexpected, names in the frame is Sen. Marco Rubio, at a time when Trump world says the former president is seriously thinking of running with a Hispanic vice president,” the outlet reports. Vivek Ramaswamy’s name, on the other hand, could bring “hype-man energy” to Trump’s ticket.

To test America’s thoughts on the all-important running mate, J.L. Partners polled 1,000 likely voters.

Rubio (R-Fla.) “offers the best prospect of peeling Democrats away from Biden and Harris,” according to the findings. Ramaswamy, described by the Daily Mail as having a “Trump with ADHD” vibe, “fares worst.”

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“Trump wins by one point when Rubio, Ramaswamy, and Scott are on the ticket. But he loses with Stefanik, Haley or Noem,” the Daily Mail reports. “With Ramaswamy, some 88 percent of Republicans say they would vote for the Trump ticket. But that falls to 81 percent for Stefanik.”

A Trump – Rubio ticket “would pick off six points of Democratic support,” the poll found, while a Trump-Ramaswamy ticket would “likely help drive Democratic turnout against Trump.”

“Though the numbers are tight, our ballot tests with different VP candidates show that different options give a range of paths for Trump, some more optimal than others,” said James Johnson, co-founder of J.L. Partners. “Ramaswamy, for example, is best to shore up support amongst Republicans and Independents alike, though with Trump’s dominance in the Republican base, there might not be much benefit to the former.”

If Trump wants to pull Democrats to his side, Johnson said, Rubio or Scott would be his best choices.

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“The VP candidate with the widest reach does appear to be Marco Rubio,” according to Johnson. “He does best amongst non-graduates, women, and over-65s, the latter two groups being key defense areas for Republicans in the coming election.”

When the Daily Mail spoke to Trump supporters at a canceled Saturday rally in Wilmington, North Carolina, the outlet found “they did not have strong feelings” about the former president’s pick.

Bob Sloan, a 52-year-old port electrician, said that he believes Trump will ultimately make the right decision. He added that he trusts Rubio, “Up to a point.”

“He’s a politician,” Sloan said. “‘I don’t trust politicians. That’s why I like Trump. You have to run the country like a business.”

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“One complication for Rubio is that he and Trump both live in Florida,” the Daily Mail notes. “The former president has told associates that Rubio would have to move in order not to run foul of constitutional rules, and that may be difficult for a father with a family and who has made his political life in Florida.”

Melissa Fine
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