In a series of recent tweets, former Representative Adam Kinzinger, a Republican from Illinois, voiced his predictions regarding the possibility of former President Donald Trump replacing Ohio Senator JD Vance as his running mate. These speculations arise amidst reports suggesting that Trump may have regrets about his choice of Vance as his vice presidential candidate. It is rumored that President Joe Biden dropping out of the race and endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris has led to Trump reconsidering his selection.

Kinzinger, who served as a congressman from 2011 to 2023, took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to share his thoughts. He wrote on Friday evening, "There is a greater than nothing, but less than likely chance that Donald replaces @JDVance on the ticket. He will say 'the Dems did it so I can.'"

Kinzinger has recently gained attention for his role as one of two Republicans on the House select committee investigating the U.S. Capitol riot on January 6, 2021. During this event, Trump supporters stormed the Capitol building in an unsuccessful attempt to prevent Congress from certifying Biden's election victory. Trump's claims of widespread voter fraud, which were not supported by evidence, fueled the riot. Kinzinger's strong criticism of Trump and the current state of the Republican Party has made him a notable figure, especially after he declared the death of the GOP following the Republican National Convention earlier this year.

Responding to these reports, Trump's communications director, Steven Cheung, denied any speculations about the former president reconsidering his choice of running mate. Cheung stated, "President Trump is thrilled with the choice he made with Senator Vance, and they are the perfect team to take back the White House. And any reporting to the contrary is nothing but ridiculous fake news from either nonexistent sources or individuals who have no idea what's going on." He further claimed that Democrats were facing disarray after an alleged coup removed Biden from the campaign, accusing them of being the real threats to democracy.

During a phone interview with Fox & Friends on Thursday, Trump reaffirmed his support for Vance. He referred to the senator as "fantastic" and dismissed the idea that Harris being selected as Biden's running mate would have made any difference.

As news of this potential shake-up circulated, Newsweek attempted to obtain comments from Cheung, Vance's press office, and Kinzinger. Despite reaching out via email and Instagram direct message, no responses have been received yet.

There is further cause for speculation regarding Vance's viability as a vice presidential nominee. Recent polls indicate that he holds a net-negative favorable rating, becoming the first non-incumbent vice presidential pick since 1980 to do so after a convention. CNN's senior data reporter, Harry Enten, revealed that Vance's rating stood at -6 points after the convention, contrasting with an average of +19 points since 2000. These numbers suggest that Vance is making history, albeit in an unfavorable manner.

If Trump were to proceed with replacing Vance, he would need to act swiftly. Mitchell Brown, a political science professor at Auburn University, explained that each state sets a specific deadline for filing to be on the ballot. As long as a new vice presidential candidate is selected before this deadline, Vance can be replaced. However, the process would not be as simple as Trump personally selecting a new running mate. Brown referred to the Republican National Committee's rules adopted in 2020, which state that the committee may choose to fill a vacancy for the Republican presidential nominee or their running mate. Alternatively, the committee could reconvene its national convention to vote for a replacement.

As of now, it remains uncertain whether Trump will indeed replace Vance or if these speculations will turn into reality. Both supporters and critics eagerly await further developments in this ongoing political saga.