It has been noted that Sen. JD Vance of Ohio had a rough week and a half ever since he was announced as former President Donald Trump’s vice presidential candidate. Trump has insisted that he’s sticking with Vance but the senator’s poor polling combined with Vice President Kamala Harris’ momentum has led some to ask: Could Trump replace Vance? And if so, how would it work? For those wondering, the answers lie in recent history and the fine print of Republican Party rules via The Business Insider.
It has been noted that it’s still technically possible that Trump could choose a new number two. However, such a decision would have to happen very soon.
The Democratic and Republican National Committees have separate rules governing how they fill vacancies of presidential or vice presidential nominees. Under Rule 9, the Republican National Committee explains how it fills a vice presidential vacancy “which may occur as the result of death, declination, or otherwise.”
It is noted that the rule permits the party to reconvene its national convention if it chooses or to move ahead with a vote of the smaller group of Republican National Committee members who would determine Vance’s replacement.
Amy Dacey, former Chief Executive Officer has said that time arguably poses more complications than the specific rules.
“I think sometimes what people forget is that people start voting in September,” Dacey told Business Insider. “There’s an early vote in some states in September. So this is not just a November election. And the worst case scenario would be for your nominees not to appear on a ballot in a state.”
Crucially, the rule explicitly applies to a scenario in which Vance voluntarily steps aside, according to Kenneth Mayer, a recently retired political science professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Mayer also told Business Insider that impending state deadlines pose a significant issue, and that the complications only snowball once ballots are printed. It would be, he said, “extraordinarily disruptive” both logistically and politically to replace Vance as the vice presidential nominee.
