It’s long been assumed that Donald Trump will be the Republican nominee for president. What’s been a mystery is who he might name as his running mate.
In an interview the former president gave to Maria Bartiromo over the weekend, Trump said there are “a lot of good people” he can choose from, but he singled out two in particular: Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) and South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R).
Trump brings up Tim Scott and Kristi Noem when asked about his pick for Vice President
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) February 4, 2024
Trump said Scott “could be” his running mate, saying that he has “been incredible” in drumming up support for him.
“Kristi Noem has been incredible fighting for me,” Trump said during the interview. “She said, ‘I’d never run against him because I can’t beat him.’ That was a very nice thing to say.”
While Scott, a one-time presidential candidate himself, said initially last year that he wasn’t interested in being a vice president, he didn’t immediately shoot down the idea during an appearance on CNN’s “State of the Union” last month.
Rumors swirled last year that Trump was keen on picking a female running mate, and Noem instantly became a popular name connected to the position. Others who were rumored to be on the former president’s shortlist were Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green (R-GA) and former Fox News anchor Kari Lake.
But, when asked by Bartiromo what his main criteria were for selecting a running mate, Trump didn’t mention that he was leaning toward selecting a female.
“It’s got to be who is going to be a good president. Obviously, you always have to think that because in case of emergency,” he said. “No matter who you are, things happen.
That’s got to be No. 1.”
While only two states have selected their preferred GOP presidential candidate thus far, Trump is already off to a commanding lead. He finished way ahead of both Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) — who has since dropped out of the race — and former UN ambassador Nikki Haley in the Iowa caucuses, and then trounced Haley again in the New Hampshire primary.
Next up on the list are Nevada and the Virgin Islands, both of which will hold Republican presidential caucuses on Feb. 8.
