An ex-adviser to former President Bill Clinton has speculated that Donald Trump might replace Senator JD Vance as his vice presidential running mate. This speculation comes amid rumors of Trump experiencing regrets about his choice, especially since President Joe Biden’s withdrawal and endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris as the likely Democratic nominee.
Despite Trump publicly defending Vance, claiming he is “doing a fantastic job” and has been “very well received,” concerns persist about whether Vance could be a liability for Republicans in the upcoming election. Paul Begala, who served as a White House adviser and chief strategist during Clinton’s 1992 campaign, suggested on CNN that Trump might opt for former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley instead.
Begala highlighted Haley’s active pursuit of the vice presidential position and noted that the Democrats had previously altered their ticket. He pointed out that Vance has struggled with low approval ratings, becoming the first vice presidential nominee since 1980 to start with negative approval. Begala criticized Vance’s public performance, describing him as lackluster compared to Trump’s charisma and suggesting that Haley’s potential candidacy could better appeal to swing voters.
However, Haley’s previous primary challenge against Trump, where he disparaged her as “birdbrain,” might make her selection less probable. Despite endorsing Trump at the recent Republican National Convention, Haley had warned earlier this year that Trump’s nomination could lead to a Democratic victory. Trump had also stated in May that Haley was “not under consideration” for the VP slot.
Trump’s choice of Vance, announced shortly after surviving an assassination attempt, has raised concerns about the Republican ticket’s appeal, particularly regarding issues like abortion. Vance’s prior support for a national abortion ban and controversial comments about women have been criticized, leading both Trump and Vance to attempt to moderate their stance on abortion ahead of the election.
