-
Tom Cotton has emerged as a potential running mate for former President Donald Trump.
-
Cotton, first elected to the Senate in 2014, is known for his staunch conservative views.
-
According to The New York Times, Trump sees Cotton as a strong communicator on cable news channels.
High-profile GOP figures such as Senators J.D. Vance of Ohio and Tim Scott of South Carolina have long been floated as potential running mates for former President Donald Trump.
But one of their Senate colleagues has also emerged as a potential choice: Tom Cotton of Arkansas.
According to The New York Times, Trump views Cotton as adept at cable news appearances, an important channel for reaching Republican audiences. The former president also admires Cotton’s military service and foreign deployments, and speaks highly of the senator’s Harvard-educated background.
In addition to Cotton, Vance and Scott, Trump is also strongly considering appointing Gov. Doug Burgum of North Dakota and Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida as potential running mates, the Times said. The former president has also mentioned the five politicians as possible cabinet choices if he chooses another candidate as his No. 2.
Individuals close to Trump who spoke to the Times said the ex-president is not tied to any particular figures and may consider other Republicans as the final decision approaches.
Of the candidates on Trump’s radar, all were reliable foot soldiers of the former president’s conservative views. And Trump — embroiled in numerous legal issues — wants to tap a reputable candidate who won’t cause major controversy for his campaign, the Times reported.
Burgum briefly ran for president against Trump last year, but suspended his campaign in December and endorsed the ex-president shortly before the Iowa caucuses. Rubio famously battled Trump during the 2016 Republican primaries but has since overwhelmingly backed the former president.
Cotton and Scott were strong legislative allies of Trump during his first administration, and Vance has emerged as one of the former president’s leading “America First” supporters in the Senate.
When Cotton — who was first elected to the Senate in 2014 — was asked last week whether he would be part of a potential second Trump administration, he said he has mainly talked with the former president about strategies for winning in November .
“I suspect only Donald Trump knows who is really on his short list,” Cotton told Fox News. “When we talk, we talk about what it will take to win this election … to elect President Trump to another term in the White House and elect a Republican Congress.”
While Cotton’s selection would be a big hit with conservatives, it’s unclear whether he could help Trump with suburban voters — a weak target group for the former president — especially given the senator’s strong anti-abortion views.
Read the original article on Business Insider
