2024 election: Donald Trump's VP candidate list

AUSTIN, Texas - Former President Donald Trump has not picked a running mate, yet.

Business Insider ranked their top candidates for a Trump VP with South Carolina Senator Tim Scott on top. Scott is followed by North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, in third, is Florida Senator Marco Rubio and then Rep. Elise Stefanik from New York.

Not making the list is Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.

In February, Trump told FOX News Abbott was on his short list of potential candidates to be vice president.

Travis County GOP Chairman Matt Mackowiak and democratic analyst Ed Espinoza joined FOX 7 Austin's Mike Warren to discuss.

MIKE WARREN: Matt Mackowiak, where is Greg Abbott in these sweepstakes?

MATT MACKOWIAK: Well, look, a list on one news organization site does not mean that's the real list. I would say that Governor Abbott offers a lot, if he were to be the vice presidential choice. I think the three things that come to mind immediately are, number one, he has made, this, this border crisis, the number one issue in the country. And he's done it really by proving that Democrats have engaged in performance theater for years, claiming to be in favor of making their area of sanctuary cities, but then, refusing to actually do it, when immigrants are bused there. But he's also a powerful and successful, really, a record-breaking fundraiser, and he's a highly credible national figure as governor of the second most populous and one of the richest and most successful states, with a clean background and a solid record of accomplishment as governor and as attorney general and on the Supreme Court before that of Texas. So he's an attractive choice. He's also very valuable as governor. And so I think he probably stays as governor.

MIKE WARREN: All right, Espinoza, what do you think are the legitimate chances of Greg Abbott being picked as the running mate?

ED ESPINOZA: Well, putting aside my political differences with Governor Abbott, of which there are many. The difference here is that that doesn't make a lot of strategic sense for Donald Trump to pick Greg Abbott. Donald Trump has made the border his issue. He doesn't need any help there. Where he is hurting is on the abortion issue. And Greg Abbott ends up being an enormous liability on that issue does not help him with voters in swing states. And then you look at the third thing that is incredibly important to Trump, which is loyalty. And I don't know that Abbott and Trump's relationship is that good. I don't know that it's that bad, to be honest with you, but I know that Trump values loyalty so much that I think he tends to gravitate towards people that he has been close to. Tim Scott is somebody who clearly wants the job and has made himself close to Trump. I'm surprised that Sarah Huckabee Sanders was not on that list. Obviously, her and Trump go back ways, but from a strategic point of view, I don't think Greg Abbott makes a lot of sense in this case, more likely ends up somewhere else in the administration.

MIKE WARREN: Matt Mackowiak, who do you think Trump is going to pick?

MATT MACKOWIAK: Yeah. Look, I actually do agree with the top two choices. And I very much agree with what I just said about Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, a friend of mine for more than ten years. She just passed school choice in Arkansas in her first year. She obviously does have tremendous experience having the White House press secretary and trust, of the president. So I do think she's an undervalued stock. But, yes, Tim Scott and Doug Bergman both, I think, check a lot of boxes. Doug Burns from the heartland, he ran for president. He's got a clean background. He had tremendous success in business. I think he's the wealthiest person who's ever lived in North Dakota. And he would probably be able to not just raise money, but invest money in the campaign. Tim Scott, expands Trump's appeal. Absolutely. No question. And so he's got those two, I think are people to watch okay.

MIKE WARREN: Ed Espinoza, I know this is kind of out there, but if you were advising Donald Trump and you did want him to win, who would you tell him to pick as a VP choice?

ED ESPINOZA: That is boy, that is definitely out there. Mike, I think that. The hurdle that Trump is going to encounter is that you have to convince voters to change their mind from four years ago. How can you win the states back that you lost in those years? And who is the person that can get you there? And ultimately, the vice presidential running mate can complement the top of the ticket, but they cannot save the top of the ticket. And that's what Trump's going to have to deal with here. Only Trump can save himself and only he will be able to determine his fortunes. So, ultimately, he's got lots of candidates to choose from. I don't know which ones are up to the task to do that job, but they'll have to find somebody.

MIKE WARREN: All righty. Well, speculation runs rampant. Gentlemen, we're out of time. Thank you both very much.