Cooper Allen

USA TODAY

Ted Cruz is poised to announce Carly Fiorina as his running mate should he win the Republican presidential nomination during a "major announcement" Wednesday afternoon in Indiana, according to Politico, The Wall Street Journal and the Associated Press.

The Cruz event is scheduled for 4 p.m. ET in Indianapolis.

Cruz campaign manager Jeff Roe earlier this week confirmed the campaign had arrived at a short list of possible vice presidential candidates.

Ahead of the announcement, speculation focused on Fiorina, a former GOP presidential candidate who endorsed Cruz and has campaigned for him. NBC News reported that the former Hewlett-Packard CEO was spotted in Indianapolis ahead of the Cruz event.

Trump weighed in on the possibility Wednesday morning on Fox News Channel's Fox & Friends. “Well, I think it hurts him. I can’t imagine he does it. First of all, he shouldn't be naming anybody because he doesn't even have a chance."

In another interview with Good Morning America, Trump indicated he wasn't concerned. "Carly did not resonate."

The announcement of a running mate prior to securing the nomination would be an unusual development in a remarkable campaign, to say the least.

However, it would not be completely without precedent. In 1976, Ronald Reagan named an early running mate — Pennsylvania Sen. Richard S. Schweiker — as part of his bid to defeat President Gerald Ford. That gambit did not work, as Ford prevailed over Reagan at the 1976 Republican convention.

The news follows a rough day of primaries for the Texas senator who lost badly in a series of five northeastern primaries Tuesday. He finished well behind Trump in all of the contests and was third behind Ohio Gov. John Kasich in four of the five.

Contributing: David Jackson