Lewandowski to head up Trump VP search

Donald Trump’s controversial campaign manager will helm the presumptive GOP presidential nominee’s running mate search, The Washington Post reported Tuesday.

Corey Lewandowski will lead the campaign’s vetting of prospective vice presidential candidates, a process the Post says will “ramp up” shortly.

{mosads}Ben Carson, who ended his own presidential bid earlier this year, has confirmed previously that he will be on the search committee as well.

Caron has so far muddied the waters in interviews about what Trump is looking for in a running mate. He previously told the Wall Street Journal that Trump could consider a Democrat, but Trump ruled out that prospect the next day.

Trump has already laid out some boxes he hopes to check with his running mate. He’s told the media he wants a candidate with experience governing, which would help balance out the fact that he’s never held elected office.

And he’s handicapped the chances he’d pick a former 2016 rival at about 40 percent. That could mean someone like New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie or Carson, but the fellow political neophyte and former neurosurgeon has already ruled himself out.

The decision to tap Lewandowski for the post underlines Trump’s apparent trust in one of his oldest campaign hands. There have been reports of turmoil between Lewandowski and newer adviser Paul Manafort, a veteran of the Washington political scene, over control of the campaign’s direction.

The campaign manager has been criticized throughout the cycle, including briefly facing a simple battery charge after a reporter accused him of grabbing her. He has also been spotted going into crowds at Trump rallies to confront protesters.