WASHINGTON (AP) – Donald Trump wants a running mate who has what he lacks – political experience. Hillary Clinton is putting a premium on diversity as she searches for a No. 2.
Yet the presidential rivals are running strikingly similar processes for tapping their vice presidential picks: relying on prominent Washington lawyers to comb through the background of top contenders, seeking guidance from a small circle of trusted advisers and family members, and weighing their personal chemistry with prospects.
Trump, a wealthy businessman who has never held public office, is mulling a small number of political veterans. He’s seriously considering former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions and Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, according to people with direct knowledge of the vetting process.
“We’re vetting a lot of good people and we have a lot of interest in people that want to leave high positions and do this,” Trump said Thursday.
The presumptive Republican nominee appears less concerned about diversity. His campaign chairman has said publicly that Trump is not interested in choosing a woman or minority for the sake of appealing to a particular segment of the electorate. The confirmed contenders are all white men over age 50.