Donald Trump's Possible Running Mate List Includes a High Number of Female Candidates
It’s hard to believe that four years have passed, and Americans are facing another presidential election. What makes this year feel like a stop, rewind, and play version of 2020 is the fact that Donald Trump will likely be the Republican Party nominee for the White House for the third election cycle in a row. He can’t do it alone, though, and this time around, former Vice President Mike Pence will not be by his side.
Some of the names being buzzed around, per Katie Couric Media, aren’t that big of a surprise since they were once competing for the top prize themselves, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy. They aren’t guaranteed the spot, though, because Donald Trump is very particular about who stands next to him in the race to the White House. Those aren’t the only people he’s considering because there are quite a few women who are in the mix to become his running mate.
The top female pick for vice president probably will be South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, who has shown unwavering loyalty to Donald Trump through his administration and beyond. She’s also loud about her desire to be his running mate, telling Fox News, “I’m all-in to do what I can to help the team. He needs somebody that actually is not part of the swamp, I think. He needs a business owner. He needs somebody who’s been a commander-in-chief, somebody who makes decisions when things get tough.”
Former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard may seem like an out-of-place name on this list since she is a former Democrat, but she’s shown major support for conservative views lately. As a combat veteran, she checks a lot of boxes for Donald Trump with possible swing voters and her military experience. Gabbard is also happily throwing her hat into the ring, too. “I’d be open to that conversation,” Gabbard told Fox News in early February. “My mission in life is to serve our country and serve the American people and find the best way to be able to do that.”
New York Rep. Elise Stefanik is another appealing name to the GOP because, at 39, she’s a young rising star as the No. 4 Republican in the House. She played into his stolen election narrative quite well, but New York isn’t exactly a state that loves Donald Trump. She continues to make a strong case for herself, recently criticizing Mike Pence’s decision to certify the election — and it might be her way of signaling that she’s up for the position. “I would be proud to serve in a future Trump administration, but we have a lot to do,” she told CNN.
Another possibility for his running mate is Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who is very familiar with how Donald Trump operates after serving as his White House Press Secretary during his administration. She’s already endorsed Donald Trump for president, and she is another face of the future for the GOP at the age of 41. But, it doesn’t sound like she wants to return to Washington, D.C. right now. “Look, I absolutely love the job I have,” Sanders shared with Face the Nation. “I think it’s one of the best jobs I could ever ask for and I am honored to serve as governor, and I hope I get to do it for the next seven years.”
It’s hard to predict who Donald Trump will chose since he can be unpredictable in his choices. It’s quite possible a woman will be chosen as his running mate this time around with both Noem and Gabbard at the top of his reported short list.
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