The Republicans who want to be Trump's VP were once harsh critics with key policy differences

WASHINGTON (AP) — It’s hard to refer to someone as “Hitler” and end up in their good graces, let alone potentially become the person they choose to help lead the country.

But Ohio Sen. JD Vance’s shifting position on Donald Trump over the years from onetime critic of the former president to staunch ally is a metamorphosis shared by many of Trump’s potential running mates.

It’s not unheard of for a running mate to move beyond past disagreements with a presidential candidate.

Joe Biden had a notably barbed exchange with Kamala Harris in 2020 when both were seeking the Democratic nomination. Biden picked her to be his vice president anyway.

But the shift is more striking for Trump’s potential running mates, in some cases requiring them to abandon long-held policy positions and recant vehement criticism.

Here’s a look at some of those shifts:

In a 2016 interview with Charlie Rose while promoting his book “Hillbilly Elegy,” Vance called himself “a Never Trump guy” and said of the soon-to-be-president, “I never liked him.”

He told NPR that year, “I can’t stomach Trump." He wrote an op-ed for The New York Times titled: "Mr. Trump Is Unfit For Our Nation’s Highest Office.”

Vance said he didn’t vote for Trump in 2016 and his former roommate shared images of a text message Vance sent him that year in which he called Trump “cynical” and said he could be “America’s Hitler.”

But by the time Vance launched his campaign for Senate in 2021, his views were closely aligned with Trump's. He met with the former president and quickly won his endorsement, gaining a crucial boost in the Republican primary.

Vance has said he “was wrong” about Trump. In an interview this month on Fox News Channel, he was asked to explain his past criticism.

“I didn’t think he was going to be a good president,” Vance said. “He was a great president. And it’s one of the reasons why I’m working so hard to make sure he gets a second term.”

Some of the Florida senator's harshest comments about Trump came as they sparred during the 2016 race. Trump started calling him “Little Marco” and mocking him. Rubio insulted Trump’s makeup and the size of his hands.

Rubio called also called Trump a “con artist,” and “the most vulgar person to ever aspire to the presidency.”

This year, when ABC News played back some of Rubio's comments from 2016, he responded by saying, “It was a campaign.”

He made similar comments to CNN, saying “That is like asking a boxer why they punched somebody in the face in the third round. It’s because they were boxing.”

Their relationship improved dramatically while Trump was in the White House. And as Trump has campaigned for the presidency a third time, Rubio has cheered his proposals.

In the Senate, Rubio had long been a prominent voice on immigration and was a key member of a group that worked on a 2013 bill that included a path to citizenship for millions of people in the country illegally. Now, Rubio says he support’s Trump’s plan to deploy the U.S. military to deport those in the country illegally.

The North Dakota governor ran against Trump this year, but dropped out in December and endorsed Trump before voting began.

Before that, Burgum had rejected the idea of partnering with Trump.

In an interview last July on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Burgum, a businessman, was asked if he would ever do business with Trump, and responded, “I don’t think so.” He added, “I just think that it’s important that you’re judged by the company you keep.”

The next month, he told CNN in an interview that he would not serve as Trump’s vice president.

Burgum this year has become an enthusiastic champion of Trump and has leveraged his profile as a wealthy businessman and governor versed in energy policy to help the Republican secure millions in fundraising, especially from high-dollar donors.

When the New York congresswoman was first elected in 2014, she was known as a moderate Republican with ties to the party's establishment.

In 2016, she initially supported Ohio Gov. John Kasich’s campaign. When Trump was the party's nominee, she didn't say his name, only saying she would "support my party’s nominee in the fall.”

She became a more vocal supporter as the election neared but made it clear she disagreed with him at times. Those disagreements faded over the years.

Stefanik emerged as one of Trump's most outspoken defenders during his first impeachment in 2019, and it's a role she's embraced ever since. When Republicans ousted former Rep. Liz Cheney from leadership over her criticism of Trump and his efforts to overturn the 2020 election, it was Stefanik they chose to take her place.

Her loyalty to Trump stood out in 2022, as the former president's esteem within the party had deflated after he was absorbing blame for weaker-than-expected results in the midterm elections. Stefanik announced days after the election that she was endorsing Trump for president in 2024 — an announcement that came before Trump even said he was running.

In 2016, the South Carolina senator initially backed Rubio in the presidential race and excoriated Trump for his reluctance to condemn the Ku Klux Klan.

"If Donald Trump can’t take a stand against the KKK, we cannot trust him to stand up for America against Putin, Iran or ISIS," said Scott, the Senate's only Black Republican.

Scott still supported Trump in the 2016 election against Democrat Hillary Clinton, calling him the “lesser of two evils.”

Scott also criticized Trump after his comments equivocating about the 2017 white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, saying that his “moral authority” was “compromised.” He met with Trump at the White House after. In an interview on Fox News Channel on Thursday, Scott said that he shared his perspective with the then-president in that meeting and from then on they worked to “find solutions together.”

“It was the Charlottesville incident that made our relationship what it is today,” Scott said.

Though he ran against Trump in the 2024 GOP primary, Scott dropped out and has become one of his most enthusiastic cheerleaders.

FILE - Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., speaks at a campaign rally, Feb. 14, 2024, in North Charleston, S.C. In some cases, Donald Trump's potential vice presidential contenders have had to abandon long-held policy positions and recant vehement criticism. In 2016, Scott excoriated Trump for his reluctance to condemn the Ku Klux Klan, his attacks on a judge's Mexican heritage, and comments equivocating about the 2017 white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. (AP Photo/Meg Kinnard, File)

FILE - Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., speaks at a campaign event in Concord, N.H., Jan. 19, 2024. In some cases, Donald Trump's potential vice presidential contenders have had to abandon long-held policy positions and recant vehement criticism. Stefanik criticized Trump's comments on the "Access Hollywood" tape and disagreed with his position on NATO, his decision to withdraw from the landmark Paris climate agreement and his ban on travelers from predominantly Muslim countries. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)

FILE - Republican presidential candidate North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum speaks during a debate, Sept. 27, 2023, in Simi Valley, Calif. In some cases, Donald Trump's potential vice presidential contenders have had to abandon long-held policy positions and recant vehement criticism. In a July interview, Burgum, a businessman, was asked if he'd ever do business with Trump, and responded, "I don't think so." He added, "I just think that it's important that you're judged by the company you keep." (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, File)

FILE - Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., speaks in West Palm Beach, Fla., June 14, 2024. In some cases, Donald Trump's potential vice presidential contenders have had to abandon long-held policy positions and recant vehement criticism. Rubio called Trump a "con artist," and "the most vulgar person to ever aspire to the presidency." (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File)

FILE - Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, speaks at a press conference, May 13, 2024, in New York. In some cases, Donald Trump's potential vice presidential contenders have had to abandon long-held policy positions and recant vehement criticism. In a 2016 interview, Vance called himself "a Never Trump guy" and said of the soon-to-be-president, "I never liked him." (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah, File)

The Republicans who want to be Trump's VP were once harsh critics with key policy differences

The Republicans who want to be Trump's VP were once harsh critics with key policy differences

This combination photo shows Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, in Atlanta, June 27, 2024, from left, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., in Miami, Nov. 6, 2022, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, June 27, 2024, in Atlanta, Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., June 13, 2024, and Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., Nov. 8, 2023, in Miami. It's not unheard of for a running mate to move beyond past disagreements with a presidential candidate. But the shift is more striking for Donald Trump's potential vice presidential contenders, in some cases requiring them to abandon long-held policy positions and recant vehement criticism. (AP Photo)

SEATTLE (AP) — Grayson Rodriguez allowed just two hits over 6 1/3 shutout innings, and Anthony Santander drove in the go-ahead run with a fourth-inning RBI single as the Baltimore Orioles beat the Seattle Mariners 2-0 on Tuesday night.

Rodriguez (10-3) was dominant against Seattle’s struggling offense, retiring the first eight batters and allowing just one hit through five innings. The Orioles have won five of their last six games after dropping five in a row.

The Mariners threatened twice, but Rodriguez got an inning-ending double play off the bat of Jorge Polanco in the fourth inning and struck out Cal Raleigh in the sixth to escape both jams unscathed.

“I thought he threw the ball great," manager Brandon Hyde said. “Really good changeup tonight. That start in Houston didn't go well, but ... he's had four or five really good ones. This was right up there also. Really good job of changing speeds.”

Josh Rojas had both hits for Seattle, a pair of singles.

Gunnar Henderson hit a leadoff single in the fourth against Mariners starter George Kirby, and scored to put the Orioles up 1-0 when Santander hit a one-out single to right field.

“They have a pretty good pitching staff," Santander said. “There are some games we don't win by a homer. As a hitter we have to try to not do too much, especially with runners in scoring position.”

The Orioles, who lead MLB with 139 homers, won without a long ball for the first time since May 31 against Tampa Bay.

Cedric Mullins made it a 2-0 game with an RBI single in the seventh that ended Kirby’s day after 6 1/3 innings. Kirby (7-6) allowed two earned runs on seven hits with five strikeouts and one walk.

Rodriguez also went 6 1/3 innings, with four walks, eight strikeouts, and 19 swings and misses from the Seattle lineup, including nine off his changeup.

“That's kind of the foundation of how I pitch is off that changeup,” Rodriguez said. “If I can get that working, I'm pretty confident I can do anything I want with it.”

Yennier Cano and Cionel Pérez combined for two perfect innings of relief, and Craig Kimbrel pitched the ninth for his 20th save.

Raleigh put a scare into the Baltimore dugout with a booming blast with one on that looked set to tie the game in the ninth, but the ball curved foul.

The loss extended Seattle's losing streak to three games.

“Baltimore has got a good club, we know that,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said. “These games are going to be tight. We've got to figure out a way to get the big hit late, and that's been a struggle for us lately.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

DH/C Mitch Garver (wrist) was still a bit sore on Tuesday after taking a fastball from Joe Ryan off his right wrist in Sunday’s game against Minnesota. Garver was not in the lineup, but took some swings in the batting cage.

ROSTER MOVE

Seattle recalled C Seby Zavala from Triple-A Tacoma, and optioned LHP Jhonathan Díaz … Seattle signed RHP Chris Devenski to a major league contract and assigned him to Triple-A Tacoma. Devenski was released by Tampa Bay on Monday … On Monday, Baltimore activated RHP Corbin Burnes off the paternity list and optioned LHP Matt Krook to Triple-A Norfolk.

UP NEXT

Orioles RHP Dean Kremer (3-4, 4.32 ERA) will pitch Wednesday against Mariners RHP Logan Gilbert (5-4, 2.72).

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Baltimore Orioles left fielder Colton Cowser fields a fly ball during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Tuesday, July 2, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)

Baltimore Orioles reliever Cionel Perez delivers a pitch during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Tuesday, July 2, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)

Seattle Mariners starting pitcher George Kirby, second from right, is pulled from a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles in the seventh inning by manager Scott Servais during a meeting at the mound with catcher Cal Raleigh, second from left, and third baseman Josh Rojas, Tuesday, July 2, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)

Baltimore Orioles reliever Yennier Cano delivers a pitch during the seventh inning of a game against the Seattle Mariners, Tuesday, July 2, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)

Baltimore Orioles second baseman Jorge Mateo attempts to turn a double play after forcing out Seattle Mariners' Dominic Canzone at second base during the seventh inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, July 2, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)

Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson, left, and right fielder Anthony Santander celebrate after a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Tuesday, July 2, 2024, in Seattle. The Orioles won 2-0. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)

Baltimore Orioles relief pitcher Cionel Perez fields a ground ball barehanded during the eighth inning during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Tuesday, July 2, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)

Baltimore Orioles' Jordan Westburg hits a RBI-single during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Tuesday, July 2, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)

Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Grayson Rodriguez, left, and catcher Adley Rutschman walk off the field at the end of the first inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Tuesday, July 2, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)