Trump’s veepstakes intensify as former rival rises to the top of the pile

Donald Trump may be on the verge of setting aside another grudge within the Republican Party and elevating a former rival to behis running mate in 2024.

The former president is reportedly considering three names as his currenttop choices to be the GOP’s vice presidential nominee as he gears up for a rematch with President Joe Biden this fall.

With his last vice president, Mike Pence, refusing to endorse him, Trump’s list of potential choices has shrunk to include only Republicans who the former president is sure will serve as a loyal yes-man in a hypothetical second administration.

And one of the three is a longtime sparring partner: his former 2016 primary opponent, Florida Senator Marco Rubio. The senator, famously dubbed “Lil’ Marco” by then-candidate Trump, bowed out of the race after a crushing defeat in his home state eight years ago.

Trump has spoken to confidantes and advisers repeatedly in recent weeks about his latest top choices, according to The Washington Post, and earlier in June joined the conservative outlet Newsmax for an interview in which he mentioned Rubio specifically.

“Governor Burgum from North Dakota has been incredible. Marco Rubio has been great. J.D. Vance has been great. We’ve had so many great people out there — Ben Carson,” Trump said. Burgum and Vance, the governor of North Dakota and senator from Ohio respectively, are thought to be the other two names at the top of his list.

Rubio’s inclusion is notable in part due to his reversal on his view of Trump, the man. In 2016, he repeatedly attacked his opponent’s character and even made one crude remark which appeared to reference Trump’s manhood.

“Have you seen his hands?” he said in 2016. “[Y]ou know what they say about men with small