Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by Chip Somodevilla
Former GOP representative Adam Kinzinger has stirred up speculation that Donald Trump could replace J.D. Vance as his running mate. Kinzinger, who served Illinois from 2011 to 2023, shared his thoughts on X (formerly Twitter), writing, “There is a greater than nothing, but less than likely chance that Donald replaces @JDVance on the ticket.
He will say ‘The Dems did it so I can.'” Recent rumors about Trump potentially regretting his choice of Vance have gained traction, especially after President Joe Biden’s unexpected exit from the presidential race and his endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris for the November election. However, Trump’s campaign has been quick to dismiss these rumors.
Steven Cheung, the communications director for Trump’s campaign, stated, “President Trump is thrilled with the choice he made with Senator Vance, and they are the perfect team to take back the White House. And any reporting to the contrary is nothing but ridiculous fake news from either nonexistent sources or individuals who have no idea what’s going on,” according to Newsweek.
Cheung further criticized the Democrats, asserting, “Meanwhile, Democrats are in complete disarray after their coup that forcibly removed Biden from the campaign, proving they are the real threats to democracy.” Trump himself has publicly supported Vance, calling the senator ‘fantastic’ during a phone interview on Fox & Friends, as reported by CNN.
Despite this, senior data reporter Harry Enten pointed out a concerning statistic for Vance: “I have gone back to 1980. He is the first guy, immediately following a convention—a VP pick—who actually had a net-negative favorable rating…The average since 2000 is +19 points. JD Vance [is] making history in the completely wrong way.”
Political science professor Mitchell Brown from Auburn University noted that there are deadlines for filing vice presidential candidates in each state. “As long as a new vice presidential candidate is selected before that deadline, Vance could be replaced,” Brown explained. She also referenced rules from the 2020 Republican National Committee, which state that if a spot opens up for either the presidential or vice presidential nominee, the committee can either fill it or call another national convention to decide.
Adding fuel to the speculation, Anthony Scaramucci, who briefly served as Trump’s White House communications director, commented, “He could have appealed to a broader base of people, to women, to more independents.
But he didn’t. He went hard MAGA, he went with a strange guy that’s very dull on stage, and you know, Trump hates that,” Scaramucci said. He predicted, “I’ve had that experience with Donald Trump. I do think he could. It’s just a question of how many Scaramuccis J.D. is going to last,” referring to his own brief 11-day tenure in the White House.
