The drive to determine former President Donald Trump's running mate in November is accelerating — with one name on the veep shortlist reportedly expected to trigger the most fear among Democrats.
Florida GOP Sen. Marco Rubio — a Trump critic in the 2015 run-up to Trump's election who once blasted the former president as "thin-skinned" and ignorant "about policy," has now become a Trump ally
Things have changed.
"Rubio is a familiar face who has become one of the strongest voices in the Senate for the America First agenda, is excellent on TV, and can blast Biden effectively for his failed policies," an unnamed GOP strategist told Fox News.
GOP strategist and former deputy communications director for Trump's 2020 presidential campaign Matt Wolking also has jumped onto the Rubio bandwagon, calling him "an effective, disciplined communicator who rarely makes mistakes."
"While demonstrating his ability to win a slightly higher percentage of white voters in 2022 than Trump did in Florida in 2020, he also appeals to the suburban and independent voters that will be key to Trump's success, and is the only contender from a true battleground state," Wolking told the outlet.
He added Rubio would balance out the 2024 ticket while adding experience on the Senate Intelligence Committee that could help Trump "reign in rogue agencies."
Another unnamed source predicted Rubio's Latino heritage would draw in Hispanic voters, but warned there were downsides as well.
"I'm not sure he's a 100% Trump guy," the source told the outlet.
"That's the one thing I would say, that he has not always been enthusiastic about Trump. I think that's the one area I would find could be a little troubling to the Trump faithful. That might be an issue."
Rubio's past criticism of Trump includes when he said the former president was responsible "for some of what happened" during the Jan. 6 protests at the U.S. Capitol.
"The other thing is the question of whether Rubio is the right person to carry the Republican colors 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, and been very effective. I think he would be a more than adequate vice president, but it just gives me pause to think about him as a potential candidate, and whether he's a Trump-faithful follower."
Wolking, however, told the outlet none of the downsides to Rubio's selection were "particularly big ones," though he pointed out Rubio tends "to be more hawkish than Trump when it comes to foreign policy."
A number of other big GOP names have also been floated as possible vice presidential picks, 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 hinted he'll announce his veep pick at the July Republican National Convention.