Newt Gingrich, Chris Christie at the top of Donald Trump's vice presidential short list

Donald Trump and Newt Gingrich. — (Image credit: Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Trump-Gingrich 2016?

In addition to New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R), Donald Trump's campaign is vetting former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, The Washington Post reports. Five sources requesting anonymity told The Post that both men have been asked by the attorney managing Trump's vetting process to answer a questionnaire and hand over everything from tax records to personal files to books and articles they've written.

The sources said at least half a dozen other people — including Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) and Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) — are also being looked at as viable options, but it's unclear how far along they are in the vetting process. Gingrich and Christie have been major supporters of Trump, appearing with him at campaign events and representing him on the morning shows. Gingrich, who sources say has the support of former candidate Ben Carson, as recently as Sunday said no one from the Trump campaign has ever called him to discuss running. Not surprisingly, the sources also told The Post that Trump isn't looking for a low-key running mate, but rather someone who's electric.

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Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.