Another Republican U.S. senator has caught the attention of former President Donald Trump as he searches for a running mate to replace former Vice President Mike Pence.
The New York Times reported on Friday that Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton has jumped to the top of Trump’s list.
The 47-year-old Arkansas Republican was elected to the Senate in 2014 after serving in Iraq and Afghanistan with the U.S. military.
Choosing cotton would be unexpected because it would be bland.
Cotton joins other upper chamber contenders, including Sens. Marco Rubio, Tim Scott and JD Vance.
Former President Donald Trump (R) is considering choosing Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton (L) as his running mate, a choice that would be safe and cause no problems. Cotton is a 47-year-old Army veteran. The two were photographed together at the White House in August 2017.
Former President Donald Trump tosses a pen during his Thursday night rally in the Bronx. During an interview after the rally, he declined to name his top three picks for vice president, which reportedly now includes Cotton.
The presumptive Republican nominee is also considering North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, whom he brought to his recent mega rally in Wildwood, New Jersey.
Trump also discussed five Republican men for Cabinet positions should he win a second term in November, according to the Times report.
During an interview on Thursday with Noticias 12 Trump declined to name his three top vice presidential candidates.
“Well, we have so many that I don’t want to do that,” the former president said after his rally in the Bronx.
Trump then praised Dr. Ben Carson, his former HUD secretary, Rubio, Vance and Rep. Elise Stefanik.
The former president said he would announce his choice “at some point during the convention.”
The Republican National Convention is scheduled for mid-July in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton would represent a safe pick for former President Donald Trump, as he has long been considered a promising Republican candidate. He is a veteran who has served in the United States Senate for almost 10 years.
Trump also has several former 2024 rivals at his disposal.
His main rival, the former UN ambassador. Nikki Haley finally said this week that she would vote for Trump in the November election.
Trump supporters interviewed by DailyMail.com in New Jersey liked the idea of the former president choosing Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, another main rival.
DeSantis said months ago that he would not accept the promotion, although he more recently began fundraising for Trump.
Businessman Vivek Ramaswamy is also a favorite among the MAGA crowd and, at 38, would attract youth to the candidacy.
And if Trump wanted a wild card election, he could choose former Democratic Rep. turned independent Tulsi Gabbard, who sides with Trump on a number of issues in her new book.
Trump even left the door open to picking South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem after she wrote in her memoir that she shot her dog and included a meeting with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un that didn’t happen.