Who Will Donald Trump Run With? 9 Possible Vice Presidential Nominees, Including Ben Carson and Mark Cuban

Business mogul Donald Trump was expected to win big in Super Tuesday presidential nominating contests across the nation, paving the way for speculation that he will eventually become the GOP nominee and need to pick a running mate. The most controversial presidential candidate in modern history has run an unpredictable campaign — staying ahead in the polls and shocking pundits — so it's hard to tell for sure whether Trump might name an established politician as his vice presidential pick or someone unknown to voters. Below is a roundup of media predictions so far.

When the field was still wide open in January, insiders told Politico former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee could be Trump's guy. "Donald Trump will win the GOP presidential nomination and pick Mike Huckabee as his running mate. The FBI will file criminal charges related to Hillary Clinton’s use of a home-brew email server as secretary of state. A Ted Cruz-Nikki Haley GOP ticket will defeat a Hillary Clinton-Tim Kaine Democratic ticket to claim the White House. These are just a handful of 2016 predictions from members of the Politico Caucus — a collection of the top activists, strategists and operatives in the first four states that will cast ballots next year," Politico wrote.

USA Today looked at a poll of Republican and Republican-leaning independent voters over the weekend that asked who the real estate magnate should name as vice president. Presidential candidate Ben Carson was the top choice, with 11 percent, while Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio both had 9 percent support. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who endorsed Trump Friday, had 8 percent support. Two percent picked Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks and another an outspoken business leader.

Rolling Stone also looked at whether Trump should go with Carson or Christie. But it went beyond the routine predictions by suggesting Trump instead name Florida Gov. Rick Scott, who could help deliver an important swing state. "He has five years of executive experience and a business background similar to Trump's," Rolling Stone wrote.

The Christian Science Monitor suggested former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, but it's a controversial option, the newspaper wrote: "Sarah Palin is a name that springs to mind, someone equally at odds with the establishment, controversial, outspoken. And she has already endorsed Trump, something the business mogul seemed to relish back in Iowa. Yet if Donald Trump is seeking someone to balance his image, to appeal to sectors of the population who may not be quite so enamored by his rhetoric, then Ms. Palin may not be the wisest choice."

The Washington Post went with South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who has endorsed Rubio. "The South Carolina governor probably makes the most conventional sense for Trump — or any of the rest of the likely Republican nominees. For Trump, Haley would help address lots of his weaknesses. She's an Indian-American woman who can help prove wrong the idea that Trump is simply the candidate of angry white men," it wrote.

As for Trump, he has been mostly vague about his options, but he has indicated that he could pick an elected official as his running mate. "I do want somebody that's political, because I want to get lots of great legislation we all want passed," he said last month.