Marco Rubio Out of Running for Trump's Vice Presidential Pick

Sources indicate that Marco Rubio, U.S. Senator from Florida, will not be chosen as Donald Trump's vice presidential candidate. Trump's advisers see Rubio's Florida residency as a potential constitutional issue. Other top contenders include Ohio's J.D. Vance and North Dakota's Doug Burgum.

U.S. Senator Marco Rubio of Florida has been informed that he will not be Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's running mate, according to four sources who spoke to Reuters on Monday. Trump's advisers, who are expected to officially announce his vice presidential pick later in the day, viewed Rubio's Florida residency as a significant drawback. The U.S. Constitution prohibits electors from choosing both the president and vice president from their home state, and both Trump and Rubio reside in Florida.

Although Rubio could have potentially mitigated this issue by relocating, some advisers were concerned that the media attention such a move would generate might become a campaign distraction. Among the leading contenders for the vice presidential nomination now are Ohio U.S. Senator J.D. Vance and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, as multiple sources told Reuters in recent days. Despite this, some individuals close to Trump had not discounted the possibility of a dark horse candidate as of Monday midday.

Supporters of Rubio argued that, as a Latino, he could help broaden Trump's voter base. The former president remains most popular among White Americans but has made notable inroads among Hispanic Americans over the past few years. Neither the Trump campaign nor a representative for Rubio responded immediately to requests for comment.

(With inputs from agencies.)