Newt Gingrich to campaign with Donald Trump tomorrow, intensifying VP rumors

Donald Trump and Newt Gingrich. AP file.

Credit: Greg Bluestein

Credit: Greg Bluestein

Donald Trump and Newt Gingrich. AP file.

Word on the street is that former Georgia congressman and House Speaker Newt Gingrich will be joining presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump at an Ohio rally tomorrow, making an appearance that could very well serve as an audition to be the billionaire's running mate.

Several reporters tweeted the news on Tuesday afternoon that Gingrich will be a special guest at Trump's Cincinnati rally on Wednesday evening.

We've known for a while that Gingrich is a top contender for Trump's VP, but the two have not appeared together since that news broke. Tim Alberta over at the conservative National Review reports that the appearance is a "trial balloon" to gauge how well people receive the pair.

Gingrich, meanwhile, has made no secret that he's interested in the No. 2 slot. He most recently backed away from his decades-long support of free trade, a pivot seen as an attempt to bridge his biggest policy gap with Trump.

Check out some of our recent Gingrich coverage here. 

With two weeks to go until the Republican convention, Trump has used Twitter to fuel media coverage of his VP search.

He met with Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst and Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, two Republicans floated as potential running mates, over the holiday weekend. Trump also tweeted on Tuesday afternoon that he'll be traveling to North Carolina with Tennessee Sen. Bob Corker, who has been seen as a possible pick who could help bring some foreign policy gravitas to the campaign. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is also seen as a top VP contender.

Quoting an unnamed Trump adviser, CNN reported earlier today that Trump plans to announce his running mate next week. In the meantime, the billionaire will be stopping by Capitol Hill on Thursday to meet with congressional Republicans.