Excitement is building in the MAGA world about former President Trump’s running mate, with the former president hinting that he may make a decision soon.
Attendees on the final day of the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Saturday will take a straw vote to decide who they most want as President Trump’s second banana. Several candidates spoke at the meeting, including Representative Elise Stefanik (RN.Y.).
There’s more drama surrounding the choice of vice president than the choice of the Republican presidential nominee, as Trump is expected to defeat his opponent, Nikki Haley, in his home state of South Carolina on Saturday.
“This is going to be a reality version of ‘The Apprentice,'” Republican strategist Ford O’Connell said of the Veep Stakes, keeping in mind President Trump’s former reality show.
President Trump confirmed this week that at least six top party figures are on his shortlist, including three of his former major rivals.
In response to a question about whether Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R), Sen. Tim Scott (RS.C.), and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, who all dropped out of the race, would run, President Trump said, They’re all solid.” The list of former presidents also includes Congressman Byron Donald (R-Florida), South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem (R), and former Hawaii Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard (I).
Stefanik wasn’t on the list when President Trump reviewed the lineup, but her name is increasingly being mentioned in Veepstakes conversations.
The nomination of the vice presidential candidate does not usually have a big impact on the general election, but this year’s Republican vice presidential nominee is especially important since President Trump has already spent one term in the Oval Office and only has four years left in his term. There is a possibility that it will become. .
“Whoever that person is will be well-positioned to be the standard-bearer for the Republican Party in 2028,” O’Connell said.
Notably, Trump’s former running mate, former Vice President Mike Pence, has also not endorsed Trump since he withdrew from the 2024 primary.
DeSantis, who endorsed President Trump after withdrawing from the race last month, reportedly warned the short list of candidates that the former president should not play “identity politics” when making choices. .
Republican strategist Matthew Bartlett said: “This seems to be something of an Apprentice sideshow going on right now, and you can see auditions happening through various rallies and various media performances. ” he said.
Scott became Trump’s top surrogate and rallied alongside him in South Carolina, but she despised Haley. Appointed to Scott She introduced it to the Senate in 2012 when she was governor of the Palmetto state.
Stefanik, the top Republican in the House of Representatives, has been showing her unwavering loyalty to Trump by appearing on the campaign trail with Trump and positioning herself as the favorite candidate for VEEPSTAKS.
At CPAC, she said she was “on the cusp” of Trump and touted her plan to turn her district into “a land of Trump and Elise.”
Michael Bartels, a board member of the Young Republicans Club of New York who attended CPAC, said Stefanik is the frontrunner and has a history of “not betraying the MAGA movement.” At the same time, she said she has not gone “off the rails” and remains on a “very selective” path.
He said someone like Stefanik could help improve Trump’s voting bloc among women, where Republicans are particularly struggling after the Roe v. Wade loss in 2022. added.
“I think adding a woman to the ticket would increase his electability in that regard. Does that mean I think he should be elected because he’s a woman? Absolutely not,” Bartels said. said. “But strategically speaking, just from a strategic perspective, it makes sense.”
Gabbard served in Congress as a Democrat, but has since shifted to more conservative views.
And President Trump dropped Noem’s name earlier this month when asked about his running mate, praising her for having “fought incredibly hard” for him. On Friday, Noem touted her accomplishments as South Dakota governor in a high-stakes chat.
Sonny Driver, a CPAC attendee from Florida, said Trump has “some good options” but thinks Noem is the best choice. He said she could bring more balance to Trump’s “fireground” attitude.
“She’s calm, calm and very conservative,” he says. “If Trump chooses her, her suburban vote will likely flow strongly toward Trump.”
Republican strategist Jason Cabell Roe said Noem and Stefanik in particular “seem to be actively campaigning” to be running mates, but said he doesn’t think he will be running for vice president. He said it was “interesting” that DeSantis, who he had previously mentioned, was included as a candidate.
“[Trump] “He wants someone who won’t overshadow him and who will be unreservedly loyal to him, but you have to think that this is someone who also brings political value,” Low said. Ta.
And while adding women like Noem, Stefanik, and Gabbard to the field may help President Trump win over suburban women, someone like Scott (“the most prominent black Republican in the country” “One Person” could help reach voters of color, Roe said.
Donald, one of CPAC’s few Black Republicans, criticized the judge who ordered President Trump to pay $355 million in a New York fraud case, calling him “stupid.”
“Whoever the vice presidential nominee is could be added to that ticket. President Trump is going to make that decision,” Donalds told The Hill during a news conference. He said he would be the former president’s running mate if asked.
“What I always say when I see names being bandied about is what are they going to bring to the ticket that Donald Trump doesn’t have yet? Because that’s what he’s looking for. ” said Mark Lotter, former strategic communications director for the Trump 2020 campaign.
“We’re looking for people who can help with tickets, whether it’s geographically by state or policy area or demographically,” Rotter said.
Raising the stakes of Trump’s election is his term limits. He has only four years left before his term ends, and if Trump secures a second term, his running mate will be his 2028 nominee.
“Normally the choice of vice president doesn’t matter all that much in the end, but we’re in this strange situation. It’s not just a lame duck, but both Trump and Biden candidates are getting older. “So the vice president will be under even more scrutiny and will probably play a bigger role in the election,” Bartlett said.
Trump still faces a major hurdle in his path to the Republican nomination: Haley.
Despite losing to Trump in key states, Haley vowed to remain in the race at least through Super Tuesday in March, when more than a dozen primaries and caucuses are held.
Strategists argue that Haley’s continued candidacy puts her past the point of winning a vice presidential nomination or even a position in a potential Trump administration. The battle between the two became particularly intense as the campaign heated up, with Ms. Haley slamming Mr. Trump about his mental strength as president and his comments about NATO.
At a rally earlier this month, Trump referenced previous comments confusing Haley with former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), saying, “For me to say that about Nikki means that she is This means that he will never run for office in an unscrupulous election.” president. She’s not going to run for vice president with me. ”
It’s worth noting that Haley has said she’s not interested in the vice presidential role.
“It’s unclear where the former president’s head is,” Bartlett said. “But again, this is probably a more important vice presidential candidate than any other in our lifetime.”
Julia Manchester and Nick Robertson contributed.
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