Overview
- Axios co‑founder Jim VandeHei published a report on Tuesday placing Senator Eric Schmitt at the top of JD Vance’s short list for a possible 2028 vice presidential pick.
- Schmitt’s résumé — including service as Missouri attorney general, a 2022 Senate win, and recent joint work with Vance on a White House anti‑fraud taskforce — is cited as the main reason for his consideration.
- Hours after the short‑list report, Schmitt drew widespread ridicule for a Senate hearing exchange in which he confused an Atlanta Hawks game with an Iowa Hawkeyes game while questioning former special counsel Jack Smith, a gaffe that immediately complicated his optics.
- Marco Rubio has also been mentioned as an alternative but has publicly downplayed interest, saying he is not a candidate for other office right now.
- No formal Vance campaign or vice presidential selection has been announced and the fast turn in coverage shows how same‑day reporting and hearing missteps can quickly reshape early VP speculation.