Trump Should Pick a VP Who can Deliver for American Business and Entrepreneurs

Current polling convinces me that former President Trump is the odds-on favorite to win in November, with surveys showing him even or ahead in many of the key swing states and even making incursions into blue states. If there is any question of Trump's growing strength, his bigger-than-expected rally in the Bronx last week attracted a diverse and engaged audience of supporters. With that in mind, I think it’s worth considering what a second Trump presidency might look like. That starts with his choice of vice president, which could help define both his presidency and his legacy.

While pundits tend to focus on a few populist, media-savvy Senators, Trump is known for some outside the box picks when it comes to his team. He can afford to deviate from the Senator-or-Governor-as-VP route. Many Americans, tired of politics as usual and frustrated by a lack of progress on kitchen-sink issues like inflation and border security, seem willing to give Trump a fresh look. A VP pick based on competence, substance and integrity could help attract centrist voters who might otherwise have concerns about Trump.

Here are my top five picks for Trump’s VP nominee:

• Ivanka Trump, Trump’s daughter, is articulate, smart and substantive. She has proven business chops and knows how to make things happen; while serving in the White House during the first Trump administration, she managed to get commitments out of top business leaders to vastly expand hiring of Americans, helping create the strongest jobs record in recent history. She was also a champion for women’s issues, supported entrepreneurship and expanded our apprenticeships pipeline. She is extremely substantive on domestic policy issues – as I saw firsthand at CES – and has a knack for persuading skeptics. Those who value experience, continuity, and competence may embrace a Trump-Trump presidency. And while a pick in the family might get some public blowback, there’s precedent: President John F. Kennedy appointed his brother Robert as attorney general in 1961.
• Representative Will Hurd, former U.S. representative for Texas, CIA analyst, and IT business entrepreneur. Hurd repeatedly won in a sprawling, “purple” Texas border district. While in Congress he was well-known and liked for his substance, practicality and thoughtful approach to policy issues. Hurd understood the power of technology and Congress’ responsibility to get it right.? He chaired some of the first bipartisan congressional hearings on artificial intelligence recognizing it as transformative.? As a modest and understated politician with the ability to speak to diverse audiences, Hurd would complement Trump’s more outgoing personality. His consistency, equanimity, patriotism and national security and military experience would also be a helpful addition to a Trump Administration. For those on the fence, I recommend Hurd’s thoughtful book, American Reboot, which describes a clear and practical vision for American success.
• Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks, MD, U.S. representative for Iowa and one of the few sitting physicians in Congress. A hard-working, brilliant fireball, Miller-Meeks brings experience in the government, military, entrepreneurship and health care fields – alongside a degree in public policy. Her work as the recently-appointed leader of the Republican environmental caucus is reassuring to those concerned about climate change, as it her commitment to public policy responses based on science and consistent with our legal framework. She’s also not afraid to ask tough questions of the people in power. In his remarks in the Bronx, Trump spoke about golfer Gary Player, who succeeded despite his size by putting in long hours of practice to become a champion. Miller-Meeks is no less hard-working or committed, and both President Trump and American voters may appreciate her commitment to principle.
• ?The Honorable Kay Coles James, former commonwealth of Virginia cabinet member, director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management and president of The Heritage Foundation. She rose from humble origins thanks to incredible intelligence, warmth and substance, and has made major contributions in policy areas like children’s welfare and mentorship. She also has real conservative chops, and deep connections at both the state and national level. Her willingness to speak up about the challenges uniquely faced by African Americans in the United States might also help a Trump administration make inroads into more diverse communities.
• Representative Tulsi Gabbard, former U.S. representative for Hawaii and a former member of the U.S. Army reserve. An unconventional pick, given that Gabbard self-identified as a Democrat throughout her Congressional career and previously endorsed President Biden after mounting an unsuccessful Presidential campaign in 2020. Still, if anyone can convince swing voters to switch their party allegiance, maybe it’s a political leader who’s done the same. She chronicles her flip in a recent memoir, For Love of Country, which could double as a pitch for a VP candidacy.

Any of these experienced leaders would add a reassuring level of depth and competence to the Republican ticket. In an election that’s likely to feature razor-thin margins, maybe it’s former President Trump’s VP pick that can make a difference this cycle.