Former President Donald Trump has yet to name a running mate — it’s way too soon, considering there have been no debates, no primaries, and the Republican National Convention is more than a year away.
But he does continue to entertain certain names, including a lifelong Democrat. Trump reacted to potentially teaming up with long-shot 2024 Democratic presidential contender Robert F. Kennedy Jr., singing his praises as “a smart guy.”
During a call-in segment with Newsmax host Rob Schmitt, the 45th president was asked if he thought Kennedy would impact the race if he ran on a third-party ticket.
“I don’t know, but he’s got great support in the party. He’s got great support in the Democrat Party,” Trump responded. Trump added that he had seen some polling where Kennedy was getting 23 percent. “That’s a lot of vote,” he said.
“A lot of people like you and him as a combination, too,” Schmitt said. “I don’t think that can happen, but have you ever thought about that?” He added: “Trump/Kennedy looks good on a bumper sticker.”
“No, but people have suggested it. I read the same things that you do.
“There are a lot of people suggesting it, there’s no question about that,” Trump added. “I’ve known him over the years. He’s a smart guy and well-intentioned. I really believe he’s very well-intentioned.”
In June, Trump sang the praises of the son of assassinated U.S. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy as well during an interview with Howie Carr.
“He’s a common sense guy, and so am I,” Trump said. “He’s been very nice to me, I’ve actually had a very nice relationship with him over the years.”
“He’s doing really well, I saw a poll, he’s at 22. That’s pretty good! That’s pretty good, doing very well,” Trump added.
There is new competition for the position of Donald Trump’s running mate.
According to The Daily Beast’s sources in South Carolina, Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) has been actively campaigning to be Trump’s vice presidential pick through cable news appearances, publicity stunts, and brash social media posts. However, a source close to Trump has said that he “absolutely hates Nancy Mace,” and one of her former aides has been even more blunt.
“I would see Trump pick [Mike] Pence before he picks Mace,” that former staffer said.
“She would absolutely dump on Trump,” her former aide said, adding that “there’s no chance in hell” that Trump would choose her.
“She despises him,” the former aide added. “She would call him an idiot and other sorts of words… She is not a friend of Trump, and Trump is not a friend of hers.”
Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung shot down the idea: “None of these so-called sources know what they’re talking about. If they spent half the time spreading untrue stories as they do on their mental health, they’d be much happier people.”
Undercover RINO thinks she can weasel her way into VP spot- and no, it’s not Nikki Haley…https://t.co/SiAfyEiK5t
— Amy Moreno (@VivaLaAmes11) October 15, 2023
Nancy Mace is right. The world was a much safer place under @realDonaldTrump. Trump 2024! https://t.co/nK2c0RERA9
— Alex Bruesewitz 🇺🇸 (@alexbruesewitz) October 12, 2023
Trump recently indicated that he does not see much potential for a running mate among the current crop of Republican candidates contending for the 2024 nomination.
During a recent speech in Michigan, Trump referred to the GOP candidates congregated in California for the second Republican primary debate as “all job candidates.”
“They’ll do anything: secretary of something, they even say VP. Has anyone seen a VP in that group? I don’t think so,” Trump told the crowd at an auto parts plant in Clinton Township.
Steven Cheung, a spokesman for the Trump campaign, told The Washington Post in an email on Thursday that Trump “was very clear in his remarks” but did not directly address whether the former president is excluding all seven candidates from the debate.
However, one name might be high on his “VP list” — South Dakota Republican Gov. Kristi Noem.
During a recent interview, Trump said of Noem: “I think she’s fantastic. She’s been a great governor. She gave me a very full-throated endorsement, a beautiful endorsement. It’s been a very good state for me, and certainly, she would be one of the people I would consider for something else, maybe. We have a lot of great people in the Republican Party.”
Trump teased that he liked “the concept” of selecting a woman as his running mate, but that he’s also looking for “the right person.”
“You always do a little bit, but I don’t think it’s time,” Trump said. “I want to win, and, you know, it’s very interesting about running mates, when you get down to a vice president, they said, ‘Nobody has ever made that kind of a difference.’ It’s still about the person that’s going to be president.”
This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
