(UnitedVoice.com) – Donald Trump has all but clinched the Republican presidential nomination, and the primary season has barely begun. He currently leads his only remaining rival, Nikki Haley, by 57.9 points (74.8 to 16.9) in the RealClearPolitics polling average as of February 22.
The former president also leads Haley by 24.3 points (61.8 to 36.5) in the upcoming South Carolina primary. A loss there would represent a massive setback for Haley, considering it’s her home state, and she served as governor there from 2011 through 2017, becoming the first Indian-American to hold that office.
South Carolina is a winner-take-all state, meaning Trump will increase his delegate count by 50 if he wins there. He currently has 63 to Haley’s 17. Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) has 9, and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy has 3, but both have withdrawn from the race.
Trump recently opened up about some of his top choices of candidates for vice president.
Trump Finally Reveals Possible VP Candidates
Trump spoke about various issues regarding the upcoming presidential election and the ongoing campaign during a town hall meeting moderated by Fox News host Laura Ingraham on February 20.
As if on cue, Ingraham asked Trump about a half dozen possible running mates, including former presidential hopefuls Ramaswamy, Senator Tim Scott (R-SC), and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. Former Representative Tulsi Gabbard, Representative Byron Donalds (R-FL), and South Dakota’s Republican Governor Kristi Noem rounded out the list.
Trump confirmed that all of them were on his shortlist of possible running mates. “All of those people are good,” he responded, adding that they were all “solid.”
How Does Trump’s Shortlist Stack Up?
Each of those possible running mates brings something to the table for Trump. For instance, Gabbard is a former Democrat who served four terms in the US House, ending in 2021. She could bring some moderates and Democrats to the voting stations to cast their ballots for Team Trump.
DeSantis won his recent bid for a second term as Florida governor by a stunning 19.4 points in 2022, easily defeating his Democratic challenger. He may not have done well as a presidential candidate, but he remains a respected Republican who could bring voters out on election day.
Ramaswamy has connections within the business world. Noem is a wildly popular mid-western governor, Donalds was considered a contender as House Speaker after former Representative Kevin McCarthy’s ouster, and Scott is an admired African American lawmaker.
It remains unclear who Trump might select. The former president is known for doing the unexpected despite his previous statements and remarks.
Copyright 2024, UnitedVoice.com
