OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
Democrats are focusing on a little more than a dozen political leaders as former President Donald Trump’s potential running mate.
The Democratic Senate Majority PAC has proposed 11 names for donors to select who they would like to see debate Vice President Kamala Harris in the fall.
“Take our new Democratic VP survey now: Who do you most want to see Vice President Kamala Harris take on and defeat in November?” the group said.
Meanwhile, Emily’s List provided 14 names while warning that anyone selected will support anti-abortion policies.
They are:
- Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC)
- Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY)
- Sen. JD Vance (R-OH)
- Gov. Kristi Noem (R-SD)
- Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL)
- Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R-AR)
- Former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson
- Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA)
- Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL)
- Sen. Katie Britt (R-AL)
- Arizona Senate candidate Kari Lake
- Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL)
- Businessman Vivek Ramaswamy
- Former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley
The Senate Majority PAC excluded Rubio, DeSantis, Haley, Greene, and Lake, but added Tulsi Gabbard and Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas. Former acting intelligence chief Richard Grenell and Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R-VA) were notably absent.
The group claimed that Harris and President Joe Biden have been conflicting with Trump since moving into the White House in 2021.
“Ever since Joe Biden chose Sen. Kamala Harris to be his vice presidential nominee, they’ve worked tirelessly to defeat Donald Trump and deliver results for the American people. And they’re ready to do it again,” said the memo, according to the Washington Examiner.
In February, Fox News host Kayleigh McEnany, who served a stint as one of Trump’s press secretaries, sounded off against one name on the list. She said it would be a “fool’s errand” to select former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, a businessman, as his running mate.
During an interview on Fox’s “Outnumbered,” co-host Dana Perino asked about Ramaswamy — who withdrew from the GOP race and has endorsed Trump — and the likelihood of Trump selecting him as his running mate.
“I think slim to none,” McEnany said. “First, Jason Miller was asked about this — he advises President Trump — and he said no to Vivek. However, that was before Vivek dropped out.”
McEnany informed Perino that Republican voters do not seek a vice presidential candidate who is a “carbon copy of the nominee.” He went on to explain that including Ramaswamy would be politically pointless since he does not increase Trump’s support base.
“Vivek and Trump, they pick up the same base of voters. It’s the MAGA voters, the conservative voters,” McEnany said. “You want someone who’s going to add to your ticket. I think we’re at a moment in time similar to 1980 where Reagan chose George H.W. Bush to unify the Republican Party.”
While his rivals in the 2024 primary campaign attacked Trump, Ramaswamy consistently lauded and defended the outgoing president.
“Trump needs every single Republican vote, so choosing someone who is just like him, I think, is a fool’s errand,” McEnany said.
WATCH:
NBC’s Steve Kornacki and Meet the Press host Kristen Welker on Sunday responded to another poll indicating trouble for President Biden leading up to the 2024 election.
“We talk about the erosion for Biden, and now you start to see it. Look at these numbers,” Kornacki said while reacting to the latest survey.
Former President Donald Trump was favored on several key traits and issues, such as handling inflation and the economy, with 52 percent of respondents choosing him compared to just 40 percent for Biden, marking a 22-point swing in Trump’s favor.
Trump also scored well when respondents were asked about mental and physical health. Forty-five percent of respondents expressed more confidence in Trump’s cognitive ability compared to Biden, who garnered support from just 20 percent of respondents.
When asked which candidate was the most “competent and effective,” 47 percent of respondents selected Trump, while 36 percent selected Biden. “And we actually polled this question in 2020, and it was basically the exact opposite. It was Biden with about a 10-point advantage over Trump,” Kornacki noted, eliciting a “Wow!” from Welker.
“And again, same with handling a crisis. Biden had the edge over Trump. And how about this? It’s the former president, the current president. We don’t really see matchups like this. Well, now we can measure it,” Kornacki continued.
