TRENTON -- It is highly unlikely that Gov. Chris Christie will be Donald Trump's running mate, according to two sources who are advising the Trump campaign and who requested to remain anonymous.

Instead, the sources said that former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich is "the likely pick" to be the tycoon's choice for vice president.

The sources, who have been privy to some of the selection process, have insisted on anonymity because they are not authorized to speak for the campaign.

"The people who've been pushing the Christie narrative are Christie people," said one of the sources, who has heard Gingrich is the likely pick. However, "it's Trump -- I doubt anyone really fully knows what he's going to do."

As the first among the 2016 field to endorse Trump last February, Christie quickly rose within the Trump inner circle, helping him with debate prep and soon after, being named the head of his transition planning team.

But a gaggle of other candidates with more federal experience than Christie have been interviewed by Trump, who's said he wants a "somewhat political" VP "who can help pass legislation."

Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, who spent a dozen years in Congress representing the Hoosier State, was interviewed at Trump's golf course in Bedminster last Saturday.

U.S. Sens. Bob Corker of Tennesee and Joni Ernst of Iowa were also both interviewed by Trump.

However, on Wednesday, both Corker and Ernst removed themselves from the process.

Corker told the Washington Post that there "are people far more suited for being a candidate for vice president, and I think I'm far more suited for other types of things."

Ernst, who'd traveled to Trump's Bedminster golf course on July 4 for a sit-down with the candidate, told Politico on Wednesday that she'd informed Trump that she'd "made that very clear to him that I'm focused on Iowa."

Ernst instead endorsed Pence for the No. 2 job.

Among those who're publicly known to be in contention, that leaves just Pence, U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions of Alabama, Gingrich and Christie.

Christie is the only remaining candidate who lacks federal legislative experience, although he can boast of a perfect record in defeating 52 veto override attempts by the Republican legislative caucus in Trenton.

The source added that Christie's stout defense of Trump and unwillingness to criticize him may have backfired, saying, "You want someone who's willing to be a Devil's advocate at times."

Last month, Gingrich had called Trump's use of racial remarks to attack the integrity of a federal judge "inexcusable" and called for the mogul to "move his game up to the level of being a potential leader."

The reason why Christie was asked to fill out the 100 plus pages of disclosure documents?



"They've been vetting him (because) it would be embarrassing not to be vetted," the source said.

Christie was vetted as a VP candidate by GOP nominee Mitt Romney in 2012, the same year he gave the keynote address at the Republican National Convention.

A spokesman for Christie declined comment, and a spokeswoman for Trump did not immediately return a request for comment late Wednesday.

In April, Christie has been circumspect about his desire to become a Trump running mate.

"I say never say 'never' because I love my country," he said. "But I absolutely believe that what will happen is that I'll serve the full eight years of my term (as governor) and then in January of 2018, I'll be getting, hopefully, a well-paid position in the private sector. It's time for me to make some money."

However, the last Republican to serve as vice president got the job the same way as Christie. Dick Cheney was serving as transition planning chief to Gov. George W. Bush when the candidate termed him "the solution to my problem."

However, the second anonymous source from the Christie camp insisted that the governor was still under consideration, even if his odds were slimmer.

"I know they want someone true to their word, who'll 'tell it like it is.' Not one that would go back on his word, and who gives you the 'political' talk," the second source said.

This second source heard on a conference call with Trump campaign officials last weekend that the mogul has lately been giving real consideration to U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, whose congressional district is one of the most Republican in the south.

Blackburn, a Republican is anti-abortion and said she doesn't believe in the theory of evolution, and maintains that the Earth is not facing a global warming, but actually cooling.

Gingrich spent Wednesday evening with Trump in southwestern Ohio's Sharonville before Trump heads to $25,000-per-person fundraiser billed as a roundtable discussion with GOP donors.

NJ Advance Media staff writers Brent Johnson contributed to this report.

Claude Brodesser-Akner may be reached at cbrodesser@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @ClaudeBrodesser. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.