Tom Williams, Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc./Getty Images
On the left is Senator J.D. Vance of Ohio, and on the right is Senator Marco Rubio of Florida.
CNN
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Two Republican senators on President Donald Trump’s shortlist to be his running mate may have to overcome the political baggage of being their home governors in order to secure the nomination.
If Trump chooses between Florida’s Marco Rubio and Ohio’s J.D. Vance, his senator replacement would be chosen by a Republican governor with whom the former president has had a fierce rivalry. In Florida, he would be replaced by his former ally, Gov. Ron DeSantis, who was recently deemed “disloyal” by Trump for launching a rival presidential campaign. If Vance is selected, his Ohio replacement would be appointed by Gov. Mike DeWine, with whom the former president has little agreement.
It’s a fact that Vance and Rubio’s allies are keenly aware of in the tense final days before Trump’s announcement, and they’ve tried to soften it by arguing that other senators have it worse. Rubio supporters have suggested to anyone who will listen that DeWine will likely replace Vance with someone less aligned with Trump’s MAGA movement.
“It would be a setback for America First policies,” one Rubio supporter said in opposition to Vance.
Meanwhile, DeSantis’ distancing of Trump has become a regular topic of conversation among supporters of vice presidential candidates other than Rubio, some of whom have urged the former president to consider Vance. A person familiar with Trump’s relationship with DeSantis said the story may have come to the former president’s attention months ago, but that relations between the two have improved since the bitter contest ended. In April, Trump and DeSantis spoke in person for the first time since DeSantis dropped out of the presidential race about three months ago.
“They’ve always gotten along well,” the person said.
Typically, when a presidential candidate is considering a senator as a running mate, especially in a Congress with a close vote, concerns about succession arise only if the governor of the opposing party is in charge of the appointment. But that’s not the case here, because there’s no risk of Republicans losing their seats. Another running mate, Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, would also create a vacancy if selected as the running mate, but unlike Rubio and Vance, Scott’s home state governor, Henry McMaster, is a conservative who leans toward Trump. However, as CNN previously reported, Scott is not one of Trump’s current top three candidates, which are Vance, Rubio, and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum.
Trump is weighing factors in his vice presidential pick that go far beyond the political dominoes that could topple in Ohio and Florida. His campaign has repeatedly said he is focused on finding someone who “will be a great president for eight years after the next four years are up.” Meanwhile, his senator rivals have denied being directly involved in the shadow campaign, with one Ohio Republican describing Vance and Rubio as “friends.”
Still, all considerations are being made as President Trump inclines toward a decision, which could come any time between now and the Republican National Convention later this month. And President Trump is known for holding grudges, and no Republican governor has earned him more of an ire than DeWine and DeSantis.
DeWine has not explicitly endorsed Trump’s third presidential bid and recently took a stance against him in a key Republican Senate primary in the Buckeye State, where Trump backed the eventual winner, businessman Bernie Moreno, while DeWine backed state Sen. Matt Dolan.
DeWine, himself a former senator, said his supporters believe it’s highly unlikely he would appoint Vance to the Senate if elected, and that while he was never close to Trump, he would not want to sour relations with the Republican administration.
“I don’t think Gov. Mike DeWine is going to make a decision based on whether he likes or dislikes Trump,” said Mark Weaver, an Ohio Republican strategist who has advised DeWine in the past. “I think he’s going to do what he thinks is best for Ohio. Much to the chagrin of those who are caught up in the Trump frenzy, he’s not going to get caught up in the Trump frenzy.”
For Governor DeWine, choosing a successor is a choice that could determine his legacy, and finding someone who can reconcile party factions, from mainstream to MAGA, and win the 2026 primary will be a top priority, a Republican source close to the governor told CNN.
The candidates include Dolan, former Ohio Republican Party Chair Jane Timken, Secretary of State Frank LaRose and Attorney General Dave Yost.
Ohio Republican activists added that DeWine, who cannot run for a third term in 2026, has already endorsed Lt. Gov. Jon Husted to succeed him and knows angering Trump now could create problems for future campaigns.
Another Ohio Republican familiar with DeWine’s work said the governor has often appointed women to key positions and would likely consider the opportunity to appoint the state’s first female senator.
Trump and DeSantis have not discussed potential candidates to fill Rubio’s seat, according to two people close to the governor’s political team, and they don’t believe DeSantis will take Trump’s preferences into account when making a decision.
“There’s no deal, and he’s not going to give up his Senate seat to help Marco,” said a fundraiser close to DeSantis’ political operations. “I’m not sure he’s trying to appease Trump that way.”
A person familiar with Trump’s relationship with DeSantis also confirmed no such discussions have taken place, but added that the former president would not discuss the topic until he has chosen a running mate. Trump has kept his vice presidential pick secret, and some aides are unaware of which direction he is heading.
If Rubio is Trump’s choice, DeSantis would soon be faced with a decision to replace the Florida Republican, who could resign from Congress and take up residence elsewhere to avoid the constitutional obstacles that come with living in the same state as Trump.
In an interview with CNN after last week’s debate, Rubio said it would be “presumptuous” to discuss such a scenario.
“I haven’t been offered the job,” he said. “I’m not a running mate. There’s no one right now. And we’ll cross that bridge when the time is right.”
People close to DeSantis’ political team believe his chief of staff, James Usmeyer, is at or near the top of the list of people they would consider to succeed Rubio.
Widely considered the Florida governor’s most trusted aide, Usmeyer also took over the DeSantis campaign as it struggled in the final stages of the presidential election. As campaign manager, Usmeyer oversaw DeSantis’ shift to a much more aggressive stance against Trump in an effort to win over Republican voters.
“I don’t think that’s a factor,” said a person familiar with the Trump-DeSantis relationship. “I think DeSantis will check with Trump before choosing a nominee.”
CNN’s Alaina Turine and Kit Maher contributed to this report.
