If voters had their way, Donald Trump would pick one of his former 2024 primary rivals to be his running mate.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) are the top two choices among people who gave their preference for whom the 77-year-old Trump should pick to join the GOP ticket this year, according to a new Harvard CAPS/Harris poll out Monday.
DeSantis, who ruled himself out of being Trump’s No. 2 in February, was the pick of 12% of all voters surveyed and 23% of self-described Republicans.
The 45-year-old Sunshine Stater was followed in the preference list by Scott (9% of all voters, 12% of Republicans), biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy (8%, 13%) and former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (5%, 8%).
Ron DeSantis previously said he isn’t interested in the vice president role. SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty ImagesSen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem and pundit Tucker Carlson were each the choice of 4% voters — though Carlson was slightly more favored by self-described Republicans (5%) than Noem (4%) or Rubio (3%).
Nearly four in 10 respondents wanted Trump to pick “someone else” (11%) or “none of the above” (28%) on the Harvard/Harris list, which also included Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (3%), Sen. JD Vance of Ohio (3%), Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida (3%), North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum (3%), Arizona GOP Senate candidate Kari Lake (2%) and House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik of New York (2%).
Trump has teased that he will announce his VP decision shortly before the Republican National Convention, scheduled for July 15-18 in Milwaukee.
Tim Scott has tested the waters as a surrogate for Donald Trump. Getty ImagesThe poll concluded that Scott would give Trump the biggest boost with self-described Democrats, Hispanics and independent voters, while Ramaswamy would elevate the former president most with skeptical Republicans.
The poll showed Trump leading President Biden, 81, by six percentage points (49% to 43%), and holding that six-point margin (53% to 47%) when respondents were made to pick between the two.
In a three-way race with independent Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump leads Biden 45% to 40%, with RFK Jr. netting 14% support.
Many potential vice presidential contenders have flocked to Manhattan for Donald Trump’s trial. AP
Donald Trump clashed with his last vice president, Mike Pence. Aaron Schwartz – CNP / MEGAThe poll was released five days after Trump and Biden agreed to two debates, to be held June 27 and Sept. 10.
Nearly four in five of voters (79%) said they wanted debates to take place, while nearly two thirds (63%) said the faceoffs would provide valuable information to voters.
However, 73% said they wanted the two major contenders to arrange the forums through the nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates, which was cut out of negotiations last week.
The online survey sampled 1,660 voters from May 15 to 16, with a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points.
