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Republican donors are reportedly very uneasy about one of Donald Trump’s possible vice presidential picks and have been trying to prevent him from rising in the ranks.
JD Vance, the 39-year-old junior senator from Ohio, is one of the three big names the former president is reportedly considering for his ticket.
Vance is considered a rising star within the Republican Party, having sprung onto the political scene in 2016 after his successful memoir Hillbilly Elegy. With Trump’s support, he was elected to Congress in 2022.
But it is ultimately that lack of political experience that is unattractive to big-time Republican donors, a source told The Daily Beast.
“J.D. Vance is a guy who wrote a book and helped with a Netflix show,” a Republican strategist close to donors told the news outlet.
The same donors who supported Vance during his 2022 Senate run are allegedly trying to “sabotage” any chance of him ending up on Trump’s ticket by influencing the former president’s decision.
Though Vance brings a younger face and fresh perspective to the Trump ticket while remaining aligned with many of Trump’s MAGA policies, the Ohio senator is only two years into his political career.
Donors worry Vance’s minimal political experience, combined with his lack of business expertise, makes him a risky choice as Trump’s running mate.
A spokesperson for the Trump campaign denied the allegations to The Daily Beast, assuring that Trump will make a decision on his own.
Trump is expected to announce his vice presidential pick before or during the Republican National Convention which begins on Monday.
According to reports, Trump has whittled his list down to three contenders: Vance, Florida Senator Marco Rubio and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum.
Sources who spoke to The Daily Beast say donors are partial to Burgum — a successful businessman who has been serving as governor of the state since 2016 — since he’s perceived as the safer and more stable option.
