Trump Names Rubio and Kasich as Potential Running Mates

Donald Trump identified a few of his Republican primary rivals as potential running mates, naming Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, Ohio Gov. John Kasich and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker as possibilities.

“Yes. I like Marco Rubio. Yeah. I could,” Trump said, referring to spots in his administration, in the interview with USA TODAY published Monday. “There are people I have in mind in terms of vice president. I just haven’t told anybody names. … I do like Marco. I do like Kasich. … I like Walker actually in a lot of ways. I hit him very hard. … But I’ve always liked him. There are people I like, but I don’t think they like me because I have hit them hard.”

Of those three, Kasich is the only one still running, but he has no mathematical path to the nomination before the convention.

Trump has previously said he would like to select a Washington insider for vice president.

“I do want somebody that’s political, because I want to get lots of great legislation we all want passed,” Trump said in February, CNN reported. “We’re going to probably choose somebody that’s somewhat political.”

Walker said he laughed when he read Trump’s comments but would not rule out being Trump’s vice presidential pick when asked about it on Monday, the Wisconsin State-Journal reported.

“It’s kind of interesting to hear that after the things that were said about me a couple weeks ago,” Walker said. “It’s almost breathtaking that I was listed in the first place.”

During the interview, Trump said previous spats with other Republican candidates were part of the “the crazy business” of politics and said GOP leaders who have been criticizing him publicly have also been reaching out to be part of his team.

“I actually asked a couple of them, ‘How can you do this after what you said?’ And they said, ‘No problem,’” Trump said.