The shadow campaigns to be Trump's running mate

There are no officially declared candidates, no election day and an electorate of just one person. But there is an unofficial campaign to influence former President Donald Trump as he decides on a running mate. Some focus on who would help Trump court critical subsets of voters, others highlight messaging skills, or push a potential vice president who would not overshadow the main man.

Trump world insiders from his former pollster Kellyanne Conway to his son Don Jr. are quietly bending the ear of the Republican candidate to influence his choice. About eight candidates are being vetted, but the final choice comes down to three leading contenders, according to those in the know. (Unless Trump decides to surprise everyone ...) This who is backing whom:

J.D. Vance - Don. Jr and Charlie Kirk: Trump's eldest son campaigned for Vance when he was running for his Ohio Senate seat in 2022 and the two have become close since. They 'shoot the [expletive]' regularly, as Vance put it during a recent appearance on Don Jr.'s podcast. 'I've advocated for you for all the reasons you're talking about,' Trump Jr. said. 'I really want to see, like, the JD Vance-Kamala Harris vice presidential debate.'

Vance also has Charlie Kirk, founder of the influential grassroots movement Turning Point USA in his camp. 'I'm very biased. He's a friend of mine,' Kirk told DailyMail.com before Vance topped a straw poll of attendees to Turning Point Action's People's Convention in Detroit. 'But he brings so much to the table.' His blue-collar appeal in Ohio would convert easily to a winning formula in rust belt battleground states such as Pennsylvania, he said, where the presidential election could be won or lost. And at just 39 years of age, he represents a generational shift, said Kirk.

Doug Burgum - Steve Bannon and Rupert Murdoch: Insiders say former Trump strategist Steve Bannon has been talking up the North Dakota governor behind the scenes (despite also recently pushing Vance). While other candidates could try to steal the limelight and the affections of the MAGA base from Trump, Burgum is the vice president most likely to remain quietly loyal in the background, runs the thinking.

Burgum has also benefited from positive coverage in Rupert Murdoch's media empire. Last week his New York Post endorsed Burgum as the best pick from the three most likely candidates (although it also praised Rubio.) 'To us, North Dakota's Burgum stands out,' its editorial board said. 'He's sharp as a tack, a real doer when it comes to business deals (reinforcing Trump's brand) and knows his way around the tech world.'

Marco Rubio - Sean Hannity and Kellyanne Conway: The Florida senator would have to change residency to a different state to Trump in order to run on the same ticket, but his supporters say he could be the key to unlocking the Hispanic vote for Trump.

Insiders say that of all the demographic groups, Hispanic voters are the one that Trump keeps coming back to in discussions. Rubio can count on the influential support of Conway, who is credited with doing more than anyone else to catapult Mike Pence into the role in 2016. Although she has not gone public with her support, she has not exactly hidden it either.

In a New York Times op-ed, she listed a range of candidates who could help Trump govern, who could help neutralize the Democratic position on abortion, or who could bring in a key demographic group. Rubio was the only name on each of the three lists. Similarly discreet is Fox News anchor Sean Hannity, another influential figure with Trump who has a hotline to the former president.

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