Former President Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, is focusing on debate performances while picking his running mate, according to The New York Times.
The Times, citing three unnamed sources who have spoken with the former president, reported that Trump is focused on three key factors when it comes to a running mate: fundraising prospects, campaign discipline, and debating ability.
Specifically, Trump is looking for a skilled debater who can counter Vice President Kamala Harris, a former senator and one-time presidential candidate who previously served as a prosecutor.
A Trump campaign spokesperson declined to comment on the factors going into the former president's decision on a running mate, noting that only Trump knows how he will decide and whom he will select.
The Times notes that several possible vice presidential picks, such as Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., and former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson, have struggled or performed awkwardly during GOP primary debates and that this could hurt their chances of being selected to run with Trump.
Trump's former campaign manager, Kellyanne Conway, told the Times that the skills that make a politician a top debater, such as quick-thinking ability and charisma, can help the candidate outside of debates, but "the opposite is also true."
She said, "If you're not good in debates, you're probably not great on TV and would have a hard time helping voters understand the rationale for your candidacy."