It looks like GOP front-runner Donald Trump is going to score the party's nomination.
The real estate mogul emerged as the favored GOP candidate in five major polls recently, reported Real Clear Politics on Monday. Those surveys were conducted by Public Polling Policy, FOX News, Bloomberg, Quinnipiac University, CNN/ORC, and Monmouth University. The combined data puts Trump at a whopping 42.3% national favorability average among voting Republicans right now - 10.6 percentage points ahead of his closest rival, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz.
Yes, we are mostly beyond wondering whether the billionaire businessman will secure the nomination. It's now time to look ahead to who Donald Trump's vice president might be.
A number of big-name politicians have been brought up by the media as potential Trump running mates.
Here are the top five individuals we think are the most likely choices for the job...
5 Candidates for Donald Trump's Vice President
1. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie: Ever since his surprise endorsement of Donald Trump, Christie has been the obvious choice for VP. He's since become one of Trump's most trusted advisers, NJ.com reported on March 25.
"Christie is clearly making the transition from endorser to enabler and positioning himself to be a major player in the Trump camp," David Kennedy, a presidential historian, told NJ.com.
However, when Christie was asked last Friday if he was vying for Trump's VP position, he acted incredulous. According to NJ.com, Christie's spokesman refuses to address the issue as well.
2. Former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura: On Aug. 12, 2015, Ventura said he hopes Donald Trump wins the Republican nomination. He also added that he'd like Trump to consider him for the position of VP.
"Do you think Donald would ever think of asking me?" Ventura asked in an interview on his "Off the Grid" show, cohosted by former Trump adviser Roger Stone. The former WWE star went on to describe how he shocked his own staff by coming to work and saying, "You know what? As far as the Republicans are concerned, I hope Trump wins."
Ventura also explained that he is neither Republican nor Democrat, insinuating that this makes him somewhat similar to Trump.
"He is very much somebody who has been good at business. And he listens well. He outlined the campaign as he saw it. I think he did a good job listening. He occasionally asked clarifying questions. He was very open to critical advice. I am not going to get into details, but I will say my overall impression was that in that setting he was totally under control as a guy who has done a ton of business and knows exactly how to operate in [a political setting]."
Gingrich's Twitter feed also revealed warm feelings toward "The Donald"...
4. Florida Gov. Rick Scott: Scott has been on many a pundit's VP shortlist since Trump announced his presidential bid on June 16, 2015. Like Trump, Scott had no prior political experience before running for office. Still, he managed to win the gubernatorial vote in the Sunshine State.
Scott drew particular attention to himself and the notion he'd make a good Trump running mate on Jan. 7, when he penned an op-ed in USA Today praising the real estate mogul. The article, composed well before any primary vote was cast, stopped just short of an official endorsement. But Scott's message was clear: He's a fan.
The fifth running mate is radical -- perfectly suited for someone like Donald Trump...
5. Nobody: This idea was introduced by The Federalist on Monday. And the site makes a good point:
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"Trump is a completely different candidate whose brand is that he is willing to shake things up. While the vice presidency used to be an office that had at least a little prestige, the 12th Amendment pretty much put the kibbosh on anything truly interesting coming out of an Electoral College vote. Why not shake up the whole idea of a running mate?"
Do you have theory as to who will be named Donald Trump's vice president? Tell us on Twitter @moneymorning or like us on Facebook.
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