Veepstakes Frontrunner Emerges: Trump Zeroes in on 'Unexpected' Pick of Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas as 2024 Running Mate

Former President Donald Trump zeroes in on another potential candidate to be his running mate heading into the 2024 general election.

The presumptive GOP nominee has reportedly set his sights on Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton as a suitable candidate to replace former Vice President Mike Pence on the ticket.

According to The New York Times, Trump has been discussing Cotton as a potential contender, along with other Republicans such as Marco Rubio, Tim Scott, JD Vance, North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, and former HUD Secretary Ben Carson.

While the former president has not disclosed his final selection, he has praised several candidates for their capabilities, stating they would do a "fantastic job" in the position. These candidates have shown loyalty to Trump, even amidst his legal challenges and financial setbacks. They have also supported him during his hush money criminal trial in New York City.

Cotton, in particular, has caught the businessman-turned-GOP leader's attention due to his appearances as a television guest and his military service in Iraq and Afghanistan.

However, the senator has faced criticism from Democrats for a controversial op-ed he wrote in June 2020, suggesting the deployment of federal troops to handle civil rights protests following George Floyd's murder.

Cotton has not publicly confirmed his inclusion in the shortlist. However, in an interview with Fox News on Monday, May 20, he brought up a conversation he had with Trump about what it’s going to take to win the election in November.

"We have to elect President Trump to another term in the White House and elect a Republican Congress, so we can begin to repair the damage that Joe Biden’s presidency has inflicted on this country," he told the outlet.

In contrast, the ex-prez told a Milwaukee television station that he would finalize his selection "probably not too much before the convention," indicating his decision timing in relation to the upcoming Republican National Convention in July.

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As RadarOnline.com previously reported, Trump flew North Dakota Gov. and vice presidential hopeful Burgum out to speak in front of nearly 100,000 supporters at a massive MAGA rally in Wildwood, New Jersey, on Saturday, sparking speculation that he could be the frontrunner in the ex-president's ongoing search for a running mate in the 2024 election.

Trump praised Burgum, calling him "incredible" and telling the crowd that "he made his money in technology, but he probably knows more about energy than anybody I know. So get ready for something. OK, just get ready."

Burgum told the seas of Trump supporters, "Working with President Trump as a governor was like having a beautiful breeze that your back ... the Biden regulatory regime is like having a gale force wind in your face because the Biden bureaucrats are treating our constitutional republic like a dictatorship."