- Donald Trump is reported to have narrowed his pick to three possible names
Sen. Tim Scott topped our poll of possible veep picks for Donald Trump, as the former president edges closer to making his decision.
Aides have let it be known that Doug Burgum, North Dakota governor, Sen. Marco Rubio and Sen. J.D. Vance are on a shortlist of three as they tease his announcement ahead of the Republican Party convention next week.
But our poll of 1,000 likely voters offers more food for thought in the meantime, adding extra names into the mix.
Some 13 percent want to see Scott, the only black Republican in the Senate, on the ticket.
Foreign policy expert Rubio is second with 12 percent tied with former neurosurgeon Ben Carson, who survived four years in Trump's cabinet.
Vance, a big favorite with Trump's MAGA base, manages only four percent, as does Burgum, who still has little name recognition but has reportedly hit it off with the former president.
The top three stay the same when just Republican voters are considered.
Speculation about Trump's choice reached fever pitch at the end of June when the former president claimed he had made up his mind and his choice would most likely be present in Atlanta, Georgia, for the first presidential debate.
But he and his team have kept their counsel since then leaving the spotlight on President Joe Biden's poor performance and Democratic anguish about whether he should even stay on the ticket.
'It could happen anytime this week,' said Trump campaign adviser Jason Miller during a Fox News appearance.
The J.L. Partners poll of 1,000 likely voters showed that Trump had extended his lead over Biden by two points to six points in the aftermath of the debate.
Trump is due to hold a rally in Miami on Tuesday, triggering questions about whether he could be about to announce one of the Florida-based possibles as his vice president—Rubio, in particular.
Then again, there's another rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday ... close to Vance's home state of Ohio.
Insiders say nothing should be taken for granted when wondering what Trump will decide.
Each of the top three has influential members of Trump world pushing their name.
Steve Bannon, former White House chief strategist, has been quietly pushing Burgum as a safe pair of hands who would not overshadow his boss.
Donald Trump Jr and conservative activist Charlie Kirk have been promoting Vance as the pick of the grassroots movement.
And pollster Kellyanne Conway has argued that Rubio would do best at bringing in key demographic groups to the Trump coalition.
'As President Trump has said himself, the top criteria in selecting a vice president is a strong leader who will make a great president for eight years after his next four-year term concludes,' said Trump campaign senior adviser Brian Hughes.
'But anyone telling you they know who or when President Trump will choose his VP is lying unless that person is named Donald J. Trump.'