5 People Donald Trump Could Pick As His 2024 Running Mate
The race for the Republican presidential primaries is down to former President Donald Trump and former Governor Nikki Haley. Save for a judicial ruling, Trump appears to be the favorite to win. This has, of course, driven significant attention toward his potential picks for vice president. Trump's former vice president, Mike Pence, now regarded as a MAGA traitor, is certainly not in the running. However, there are several prominent politicians that Trump could consider partnering with in his bid to become president again.
The MAGA leader has commented about his possible choices without revealing who his pick is. However, we can infer a couple of key things from his statements. Trump told Fox News' Bret Baier that "people won't be that surprised" by his pick. He's also made it clear to NBC's Kristen Welker that there's no rush to announce his pick since no vice president "has ever made that kind of difference." Trump has also commented on whether his pick will be a woman: "I like the concept, but we're going to pick the best person." So, who could Trump's VP be? Here's a list of politicians likely to be Trump's running mate and what he's said about them.
Tim Scott has shown his love for Trump
Senator Tim Scott is a pretty hot pick for vice president, and a peek into his history shows why. Since being assigned senator by Nikki Haley in 2013, he's tirelessly pushed conservative values. He's anti-trans rights, big on religious freedom, and a supporter of the free market. Initially a contestant, Scott ended his presidential race in November 2023 and endorsed Trump in January 2024, declaring that Americans "need a president who will unite our country" during a campaign speech.
Scott's endorsement of Trump has even been termed "humiliating" and "embarrassing" by critics — not because of his support for Trump, but because of his public profession of love. When the leading republican candidate mused that Scott must "hate" Haley since he endorsed Trump over her, the senator replied, "I just love you."
Unsurprisingly, Trump has pointed to Tim Scott as a potential VP pick. During an interview on the "Sunday Morning Futures," the leading Republican candidate said that he told Scott that he had done a better job campaigning for Trump than for himself. Teaming up with Scott could be a great way for Republicans to extend their reach to the Black community, as he is the only Black Republican senator. The stars are aligning for Scott, but there is one major con he cannot shake: he voted in favor of Joe Biden's win. If Trump looks past this snag, Scott could be a great VP pick.
Kristi Noem refused to run against Trump
South Dakota's Kristi Noem has brazenly supported Donald Trump since taking office in 2019. In 2020, the governor made headlines for her strange gift to Donald Trump, designed to fulfill a longtime dream he'd had. Noem made headlines once more in 2021 for implementing Trump's preferred COVID-19 policies by refusing to require masks or shut down her state. Noem even refrained from blaming Donald Trump for the 2021 insurrection at the Capitol.
In July 2022, the governor made it clear that she was considering running for president but wouldn't if Trump was also running. Then, towards the end of 2023, she endorsed Trump, promising to "do everything I can to help him win and save this country" during a rally speech.
As expected, Trump has publicly appreciated Noem's displays of loyalty. On "Sunday Morning Futures," he said, "Kristi Noem has been incredible fighting for me. She said, 'I'd never run against him because I can't beat him.' That was a very nice thing to say." So far, the only thing that counts against Noem is that she criticized Trump's comments on Muslims in 2016 and asserted that he was "not her candidate" (via WNAX).
Trump has said Elise Stefanik would be a good VP
U.S. Representative Elise Stefanik is a former Donald Trump critic turned ally. Elected in 2014, the congresswoman claimed to be a conservative politician with an independent mind. She was not afraid to criticize GOP policies that she didn't believe in and even attacked Trump for misogyny, his hidden tax records, and comments on Muslims. She even voted to safeguard LGBTQ rights.
However, by 2016, Stefanik jumped on the pro-Trump wagon and gradually became more pro-Trump. She was among the 126 GOP lawmakers to sign a petition demanding that the election be canceled. She was so vocal in her support for Trump that she was handpicked to replace Liz Cheney as the Chair of the House Republicans after Cheney refused to support Trump's claims of a stolen election. Since becoming Chair of the House, she's sided with Trump in all of his court cases and attacked judges who didn't agree.
Her newfound loyalty certainly attracts Trump, who "has consistently remarked about how good she'd be as a VP," an inside source told NBC News. Trump also reportedly stated that she was a "killer" at a Mar-a-Lago event. If Trump picks Stefanik, having a young woman on his team could definitely win him more votes.
Sarah Huckabee Sanders is a Trump loyalist
Unlike most of the other rumored VP picks, Sarah Huckabee Sanders has been fiercely loyal to Trump from day one. She served as a senior advisor for Trump's 2016 campaign, and when he won, she worked as the White House Press Secretary. During her tenure, she defended Trump's greatest faults, including his claims that Barack Obama spied on his campaign. A year after Joe Biden took the reigns, Sarah Sanders made a surprising announcement declaring her bid for governorship in Arkansas.
She became governor in 2023 and endorsed Trump in November of that same year. Now a governor, Sanders has a lot more sway than many other VP candidates. Trump hasn't mentioned her as a possible pick, but her unquestionable loyalty and experience are two key factors she could bring to the table as Vice President. Sanders could give Trump Arkansas and offer gender diversity on his ticket. However, if Trump doesn't pick her, there'll be no hard feelings as she's stated that she loves her current job and would love to serve for eight years.
Vivek Ramaswamy believes Trump is the only viable presidential nominee
Vivek Ramaswamy may be the least-known name on the list, but he rose to prominence during the 2024 presidential campaign. The U.S. entrepreneur, born to Indian immigrant parents, showed interest in politics before vying for president. Ramaswamy has often attacked "woke" ideologies, including climate change, genderism, and Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance (ESG) initiatives. These core Republican values, along with his bold support of Donald Trump, have made him a MAGA star.
Vivek dropped out of the race in mid-January 2024 after announcing his bid towards the end of February 2023. After withdrawing, he encouraged Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis to do the same, telling Fox News that doing so would be "a service by stepping aside to make sure that we're focused on not only nominating Donald Trump but getting this country back and reviving those founding revolutionary ideals." Ramaswamy has been hailed as an articulate businessman who could introduce diversity into Trump's campaign. Additionally, the politician's deep pockets could be handy in the fight against Joe Biden.