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As I watched Sarah Palin deliver a speech on behalf of Donald Trump the other day before an GOP establishment fundraiser in Wisconsin, I was struck by the enthusiastic response of the crowd. She received a standing ovation at the end. Ted Cruz, who followed her on the dais, received only light and intermittent applause. The contrast in their political skills was stark. Palin was the star who knew how to connect with, and hold, her audience. Cruz, not so much... Let me say at the outset that I am analyzing this from a purely utilitarian and political point of...

Dr. Ben Carson confirmed five people on presumptive GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump’s list of potential vice presidential running mates in a recent interview. Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, the 2008 VP running mate to John McCain, was one of the five Carson said was on the list. The rest are all former 2016 GOP presidential candidates: Trump’s closest competitor Sen. Ted Cruz, Ohio Gov. John Kasich, Sen. Marco Rubio, and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie. (Read more at source)

With the Democratic and Republican presidential nominees all but decided, attention turned Sunday to the possible contenders for vice president. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said he and his wife, Calista, “could be lured into a new path” if presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump were to ask him to join the ticket. “If he can convince Calista and me that it’s doable and it’s serious and that we would in fact contribute, I think we’d be very hard pressed not to say yes,” Mr. Gingrich said on “Fox News Sunday.”

KARL: ...So, where is the center of gravity now for the Republican Party? SESSIONS: That's a good question, Jonathan. I would say it's with the movement Donald Trump is leading. He is leading the Republican Party, which is the Republican voter. And the Republican voter is adopting his views and not the views that too often we've seen out of Washington, Democrat and Republican. And so I think he's showing real strength there. He's unifying the people who are going to say we want some change. We want better jobs, better wages. We don't want falling wages. We want an...

The two most important criteria are always the same: 1. Pick someone who's would ready to be president, if necessary, and 2. DO NO HARM He's said he'd like someone with political and legislative experience to help him deal with congress, and he's also said he'd consider some of his former rivals... 1. Former opponents Both Rick Perry and Bobby Jindal have endorsed Trump. Both are former governors. But Trump will probably win Texas and Louisiana without them... New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie was one of Trump's earliest establishment endorsers.. If being an attack dog is a top requirement for...

Donald Trump says there’s a 40 percent chance he picks someone from this year’s Republican presidential field as his vice president. But the odds-on favorite to win the veepstakes: Newt Gingrich. The former speaker of the house was a perpetual thorn in the side of the Bill Clinton administration. And he sounds like he’s relishing a shot at Hillary Clinton. Gingrich has lavished praise on Trump. The business mogul has not said much about the man named Newt. But oddsmakers and betting markets like Gingrinch’s chances nonetheless. In this unpredictable election season, bookies have some other strange options in mind...

Newt Gingrich said Friday that "you have to look at it very seriously, of course" regarding the possibility of being presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump's running mate. "I regard Donald as an old friend," Gingrich, the former Georgia representative who was House speaker from 1995 to 1999, told Bill O'Reilly on Fox News... Newsmax reported Tuesday that Gingrich topped Trump's list of possible vice presidential choices. The developer said that he was seeking a partner while deep experience within Washington who could help him "with legislation, getting things through." "There are a lot of very good candidates who know a...

Donald Trump Campaign Manager Corey Lewandowski, who was falsely accused of assault and battery by attention-seeking hoaxer Michelle Fields in March, will head up Donald Trump’s VP search. The Hill reported: "Donald Trump’s controversial campaign manager will helm the presumptive GOP nominee’s running mate search, the Washington Post reported Tuesday. Corey Lewandowski will lead the campaign’s vetting of prospective vice presidential candidates, a process the Post says will “ramp up” shortly. Ben Carson, who ended his own presidential bid earlier this year, has confirmed previously that he will be on the search committee as well. Carson has so far muddied...

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"Donald Trump, now the GOP's presumptive presidential nominee, said Wednesday he would consider Ohio Gov. John Kasich as a potential running mate."

OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin is offering her enthusiastic endorsement of Republican presidential contender Donald Trump, saying she supports the New York billionaire “100 percent.” Fallin also said Wednesday she’s honored to be mentioned as a possible vice presidential candidate and would be happy to consider such an offer. Fallin said her priority is to elect a conservative, pro-business Republican who is strong on national defense, and that she believes Trump is that candidate. The two-term governor has not previously endorsed any of the GOP candidates for president. U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas won Oklahoma’s March presidential...

Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump listed a few of his fellow 2016 rivals as possible running mates in an interview published Monday. Speaking to columnist Kirsten Powers, Trump spoke favorably about Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) who he famously feuded with before defeating him in his home state.... “There are people I have in mind in terms of vice president. I just haven’t told anybody names,” he said. “[I] do like Marco. I do like (John) Kasich. … I like (Scott) Walker actually in a lot of ways. I hit him very hard. … But I’ve always liked him.”

With Ted Cruz out of the race and John Kasich set to announce he’s suspending his campaign later today, presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump is wasting no time in moving forward on building out his campaign team, amassing a team of advisers and beginning to review potential vice presidential running mates. To help him with the latter, Trump told the New York Times that Ben Carson will serve on a selection committee to find his running mate.

The Washington Post published an article listing five candidates likely to be considered to be Trump's vice president. U.S. Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa is on that list. Ernst is Iowa's first female U.S. Senator. Ernst was not well known When she ran for the senate seat vacated by the retiring Tom Harkin. KWWL-TV caught up with Ernst and asked if she would consider serving as Donald Trump's vice president. "I would say, 'did my mother pay you to say that?', Ernst said. "But, no. I would have to consider it, but I love what I do in the United...

Which begs the question: Who is he going to pick as his vice presidential nominee? The short answer: No one knows. Trump relishes being unpredictable so trying to game out how this most unconventional of politicians will make his mind up is a bit of a guessing game. Add to that the fact that Trump's inner circle remains, largely, devoid of establishment types and you quickly get into a situation where the people talking don't know much and the people who do know aren't talking.

Joni Ernst manhandles Bruce Braley regarding his and the Obama Administration's failure to proactively counter ISIS.

Donald Trump on Monday spent part of his July 4th with Sen. Joni Ernst -- fueling speculation that the Iowa freshman senator could be on the short list of his vice presidential picks. Ernst told Fox News they had a "good conversation," adding, "I will continue to share my insights with Donald about the need to strengthen our economy, keep our nation safe, and ensure America is always a strong, stabilizing force around the globe." Earlier, Trump tweeted, "I look forward to meeting (Ernst) today in New Jersey. She has done a great job as Senator of Iowa!"

Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst is among the candidates being considered to become Donald Trump's running mate, a source with knowledge of Trump's vice presidential selection process tells CNN. Another source close to the process confirmed the information. It's not clear whether the freshman Republican senator and tea party star has received paperwork from the campaign or is just being scrutinized through the wealth of publicly accessible information about her. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and Indiana Gov. Mike Pence are also being considered, the source said. A senior Trump campaign adviser confirmed Pence is being...

Donald Trump announced he would meet with Sen. Joni Ernst on Monday, one of several recent names dropped on his Twitter feed that are fueling speculation over his highly-anticipated vice presidential selection. "I look forward to meeting @joniernst today in New Jersey. She has done a great job as Senator of Iowa!" Trump tweeted early Monday. Ernst's name appeared in reports on VP shortlists over the weekend, and a senior Trump adviser confirmed to CNN that Ernst is being considered. Trump also doled out some conspicuous praise for Indiana Gov. Mike Pence and Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton, who have also...

The Republican National Convention opens in Cleveland — we are all witnesses — in exactly 16 days. That means that sometime over the next two weeks or so, we'll find out whom Trump has picked to be his vice-presidential running mate. Trump and his team have said all sorts of things about the timing of the announcement, including sometime soon and in the midst of the convention. Either way, it's coming. And coming soon. Trying to figure out a) whom Trump will pick or b) whom he is consulting in deciding whom to pick is, well, tough. But we do...