Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R) tied for first in a straw poll for who should be the former president’s 2024 running mate at the Conservative Political Action Conference in February.
Some strategists say Trump should use his running mate to gain a boost among key demographics. One rumored contender is South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott (R), who endorsed Trump after dropping out of the 2024 race and has been a surrogate in the campaign’s push to reach Black voters.
Ramaswamy and Scott are both ex-rivals of the former president in the 2024 GOP presidential primaries. Each endorsed Trump after dropping out of the race, and have since joined him on the campaign trail.
House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) and former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard have also been floated for the second-in-command slot as the former president seeks to gain traction among suburban women.
Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) is a rumored possible VP contender, as well. Once a “never Trump” Republican, he’s since become one of the former president’s strongest supporters, though he sidestepped a question last year about whether he’d take the job if it was offered.
Read the latest on Vance VP speculation from The Hill’s Jared Gans.
Trump confirmed at least a half-dozen names on his shortlist for the right-hand role in February, after teasing the month prior that he already knew who was in the running for a vice presidential spot on his ticket.
Despite the chatter around who Trump might pick, though, his choice of a running mate might not make a major difference in how he fares in November.
Running as a quasi-incumbent, the former president is a known entity to voters – many of whom have already made up their minds about whether they want another Trump term.
The Hill’s Niall Stanage dives in on whether a VP choice could really impact the campaign.
