After former President Donald Trump announced his candidacy in November for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, Republicans speculated about running mates.
A Politico report published before his official candidacy declaration cited one source who believes Trump will not pick someone just to balance the ticket. His choice of straight-shooter Mike Pence for vice president appealed to Midwest voters perhaps wary of a brash New Yorker like Trump.
“It’s so united behind him,” said John McLaughlin, a Trump campaign pollster who sees Trump as the Republican Party. “So his choice, if he runs, will come down to what he wants. It would be a much more personal decision this time.”
The 45th president dropped names like Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL), Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, according to the report.
Those possible picks were considered before the November midterm and the political calculus has changed somewhat. Many Republicans express views that DeSantis may be the stronger GOP candidate for president, so it is even more unlikely he will accept a secondary role under Trump.
Pompeo has reportedly put out feelers for a possible presidential run himself, so now he too seems an unlikely VP choice for his former boss.
After running for the Democratic nomination in 2020, Tulsi Gabbard left the party last year. Gabbard caught Trump’s attention during her appearances on Fox News, “especially when she stepped in to host Tucker Carlson’s show,” the Independent reported.
Gabbard left the Democrat party last year after losing her bid to become the 2020 Democratic nominee for president. Trump reportedly warmed to her after she guest-hosted “Tucker Carlson Tonight.” It seems unlikely that the party base, who often call moderate Republicans “RINOs,” would unite behind a former Democrat for VP.
Several Republican women may be asked to join the 2024 Trump ticket, according to a Daily Beast report. Current congresswomen Elise Stefanik (R-NY) and Marjorie Greene (R-GA) are on the short list, the report noted.
Rep. Stefanik was reelected as House Republican leader, which puts her in position for an eventual House speaker position. While the upstate New Yorker is a Trump loyalist, the vice president position would be a step backwards for someone poised to someday lead the House of Representatives.
Rep. Greene may be just the person Trump would feel most comfortable with. She is super loyal to the former president who places high value on unequivocal loyalty. The Georgia congresswoman also continues to support Trump’s claims that the 2020 election was stolen.
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