Donald Trump May Choose Marjorie Taylor Greene As His 2024 Running Mate
Although Donald Trump hasn't made it official, at this point it would be shocking if he didn't announce his candidacy for 2024. The former president has spent the last two-plus years setting the stage for it. On January 6, Trump refused to admit that the election was over, even as rioters stormed the Capitol in an attempt to stop Congress from certifying the results (via Reuters). From there, he has continued to promote his claims of fraud in his Truth Social posts and at the many rallies he attends for Republican candidates and political action committees (via CBS News). In addition, Trump takes every opportunity to criticize President Joe Biden's actions on everything from the economy to the immigration crisis — and point out how he would have handled matters if he were still in office.
While a resounding 61% of Americans say they don't want a second Trump administration (via PBS), he still has the support of a full two-thirds of Republicans, and judging by the sea of MAGA hats and flags displayed at events such as CPAC rallies, the former "Apprentice" host might well get the nomination. If that happens, Trump will need to have a strong running mate by his side. Don't look for Mike Pence on the ballot; Trump has said he was "disappointed" that his former veep refused to stop Biden from being certified on January 6 (via Newsweek). Plus, Pence has said that "there might be someone else I'd prefer more" in 2024 (via ABC News). So, who will it be? Word is spreading about a possible front runner.
Can Marjorie Taylor Greene help Donald Trump win?
With Mike Pence out of the picture as a potential vice president, it's looking very likely that Donald Trump will tap Marjorie Taylor Greene as his running mate for a 2024 White House run. In an interview with the Daily Beast's podcast "The New Abnormal," reporter Robert Draper explained that the Republican Congresswoman from Georgia has become a "fundraising dynamo" for Trump, and has positioned herself as a major voice for ultra-conservative voters.
Draper adds that Greene has one quality that Trump values highly: loyalty. A self-described MAGA, she has publicly supported the former president's argument that he won the election. In a recent debate against Marcus Flowers, her Democratic opponent for the House seat (via Twitter), Greene insisted, "There was election fraud, and my husband has proof of it." On her Twitter feed, Greene also promotes a conservative stance on issues such as border security, abortion rights, and gender-affirming surgery for minors, which could help bolster Trump's campaign.
On the other hand, the congresswoman has also come under fire for her support of QAnon, the pro-Trump group that promotes potentially dangerous conspiracy theories (via The Washington Post). Greene has been mocked for her odd slips of the tongue, such as her "peach tree dish" comment (she meant "petri dish") and her warning about Americans being menaced by the "gazpacho police" (via Vanity Fair). While Draper says that Greene would be a good "proximate warrior" for Trump, more moderate Republicans may find her too extreme.