North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum has emerged as a leading contender to serve as former President Trump’s veep — which insiders attribute to his perceived lack of interest in higher office and a disciplined ability to fade into the background. Many grassroots activists are keen for Trump to name a youthful, hard-charging No. 2 who will be a successor for his movement — but the former president has little appetite for such a person, insiders told The Post. Trump — who would be a lame duck on day one of a new term — is nervous about a vice president launching their own 2028 campaign the minute they come to Washington. “Elise Stefanik is a young rising star, Marco Rubio same thing, long record with a record of seeking the presidency. J.D. Vance would be immediately a successor in 2028 considering his rising-star status,” said one person familiar with the discussions. But Trump has also bluntly stated his preference for a man with a “central casting” veep appearance and “good hair” — per another insider, which is bad news for Stefanik. Burgum however, has great hair. “Burgum is somebody who is very smart, who has a lot of money, not interested in public service to enrich himself, he understands Trump on a business level and he’s a quiet, steady hand, but still a sharp surrogate when needed for Trump,” the insider added. “I don’t think he is necessarily interested in running for president and isn’t someone who is obviously seen as a successor.” Former Vice President Mike Pence — now persona non grata in Trump world — caused much irritation in in 2017 when he launched his own political action committee ahead of races that year and in 2020. Team Trump is not looking for a repeat, a different insider noted. GOP young guns like Vance and Stefanik are both just 39 years old — while Rubio is a youthful 53. South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, who is fading from contention, is 58. Burgum by contrast is 67 — and would be into his 70s by the time 2028 rolled around. Burgum is older than President Biden was when he was selected by former President Obama to be veep in 2008. Biden was chosen primarily because he was viewed as an elder statesman, who would not harbor any future plans against the ambitious Obama. The other leading contenders are marred in different ways as well, experts note. The 12th Amendment makes it forbidding for Trump to tap a fellow Floridian, which is bad news for Rubio. One top surrogate already said a plan is in place for Rubio to resign his seat and relocate to Maryland if Trump picks him — but the situation is viewed as less than ideal. Vance, a favorite of the ‘MAGA populists and Donald Trump Jr.‘ was a die-hard Trump critic not all that long ago. In texts to a former Yale roommate in 2016, Vance warned Trump was a “moral disaster” and could be “America’s Hitler,” adding his policy ideas “range from immoral to absurd.” Vance once liked a tweet musing that Trump had committed “serial sexual assault,” CNN reported just this week.
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