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Veep Stakes 2024
I heard the starter pistol and race is on!
Megyn Kelly is supporting Nikki Haley, reasoning that Trump needs someone to shore up support in the establishment. The Trump base, would get over it. (Eventually.)
Vivek Ramaswamy (wow, I cant believe I spelt that right) would be the choice of the Trump base, and I would love to see him debate VP Kamala Harris… The moderator would probably throw in the towel, as it would be unnecessary cruelty to half wits.
I am thinking of a different way to calculate the best candidate for VP. I dont think Trump should pick a candidate that shores up support with some faction within the Republican Party, but rather pick a candidate that would disrupt the Democrat coalition. Never Trumpers are going to Never Trump their way to a second Biden Administration, and be happy about it. (At least until they’re arrested.)
With this in mind, I think the best available candidate for VP would be Tim Scott. He’s got 10 years experience as a Senator from South Carolina. He’s well spoken, articulate, and in command of facts… Plus if you’ve seen pictures, or some of his TV appearances, you’d notice, he’s a little bit black.
This helps in 2 ways, he can campaign to black voters in ways and spaces that other candidates can’t. And it insulates Trump on the racism charges… But Democrats can’t help themselves — they’ll smear Tim Scott like they’d smeared any other black conservative… I could just imagine Trump saying ” They call me a racist, and then they say all these horrible things about my running mate? Who’s the racist?”
Tim Scott, the man for the job!
Published in General
Trump has said that he’s already decided who his VP pick is. And then after Iowa, he threw unexpected praise for Burgum, and said he’s sure he can find a place for him in his administration. Could it be that Trump the businessman and first time winner as a candidate, wants another businessman and first time winner as a candidate to be his VP? Probably not, but who knows?
Why do you want to take good people out of the Senate when they are already scarce enough as it is?
It is not the worst idea I’ve ever heard from a Canadian. 😜 But Reticulator does have a good point.
Because South Carolina is a fairly safe state, he’ll be replaced by a republican… Besides after the 2024 election, I dont think they’ll be that rare.
Hopefully, but even if enough people are smart enough to elect Trump, a lot of them are still stupid enough to vote for Dims for congress. Especially since House elections are by district not statewide.
“Nobody” is going to vote for or against Trump because of his VP pick.
What are we looking for in a VP candidate? I think the choice for VP has to:
I think Vivek would be an excellent choice. But I can see others.
That said, it doesn’t really matter until it’s time to make the decision. And things will likely be different then.
Thats true. I think the only VP that really had an impact on electoral politics at all was Spiro Agnew… Thats how you ended up with President Ford.
But I am saying that a VP candidate could be an effective spokesperson to message new voters, who would otherwise not be listened to… This is why I suggested Tim Scott, black voters are very disillusioned with the Democrats now. The right messenger with the right (or just good enough) message could break the democratic coalition…
This the difference between wining the election, and a blow out landslide, running the table election.
Nikki Haley would serve as an incentive for the establishment to assassinate Trump.
Not good. You want the opposite of that.
I think showing a complete set of leaders as a package before the election shows seriousness. VP, Cabinet, judges. Specific policy principles. Like close agencies. Close the border and deport invaders, remove or demote incompetent military, promote warriors, collect college debt, reverse medical mandates.
However: in light of how craven the House Republicans are and how determined they are to mate with the democrats, I expect further resistance to a unified and cohesive conservative platform. And I think Scott is pretty establishment by now and is not a leader. (I don’t yet have a view on a VP candidate and haven’t been asked.)
I don’t think it’s possible to break the existing democrat leadership coalition. It’s fully paid for and rents being paid timely. I think there will be some equivalent to a slaves’ rebellion.
American Thinker today has a post suggesting Lee Zeldin for VP.
I don’t know anything about Zeldin, but entirely like the idea of someone outside the inner circle of DC making waves. I would particularly look for someone who has accomplished something substantive in their life, other than as a government political employee. That of course means that the person would give up their otherwise productive life, probably at their peak, for a government job.
What is a “Law Enforcement Bill of Rights?” Would it apply to the FBI?
Ann Coulter (who should often be taken with a grain of salt IMHO) brought up an interesting point. Whites still represent a whole lot larger portion of the electorate than blacks. Just small gains in the percentage of white voters could more than offset any gains among the POC. Republicans need not beat themselves up trying to get the inner city black vote, but should try to boost their standing among their strongest sector.
Please don’t think me a racist for this comment. I’m not saying to forget POC, just bringing up a different way of looking at a path to victory.
That being said, I hope that the Republicans take advantage of this time to make gains, if possible, among what makes up the Democrat coalition. Tim Scott seems like a valid person for consideration in this regard. I know he has a history as all politicians do. Maybe Reagan’s 80 percent rule applies here.
I looked it up. Wikipedia says:
I have my money on Elise Stefanik. She is loyal, looks good on TV, she won’t distract from Trump, and might help with the suburban women. Other folks like Ben Carson, but I think he is too gentle. Trump needs a fighter and Stefanik has a track record of being a fighter. Some people say her Liberty score is too low. Trump is a Democrat, what the heck does he care about Liberty scores?
Whoever he selects, presuming Trump wins, will have a significant advantage in the race of 2028. Provided Trump governs effectively and successfully. My fear is Trump selects a running mate based on loyalty instead of ability.
Fair. I hope we make it to 2028!
She also has the benefit of knowing House process, ins and outs, power plays and historic work arounds. We won’t hold her Harvard degree against her.
https://x.com/TeamTrump/status/1747833207226007643?s=20
Now onboard with Trump’s immigration stand, Marco Rubio has matured into the potential President some hoped he could be in 2016.
45/47 would re-register as a March through November New Jersey resident, joining millions of fellow boomers in the high voting propensity snowbird demographic.
Rep. Byron Donalds, who seems to have the goods, could move up to replace Rubio in the Senate.
Tim Scott would be very appealing to the white suburban women who just need a reason to (finally) ignore the Never Trumpers.
Women can be very harsh in their judgements of other women. I don’t think she would move the needle much in favor of Trump. She might even be a drag on the ticket with suburban women.
There are two points that are beyond dispute: 1) Nikki Haley is native-born, 2) Neither of her parents were American citizens when she was born. There are arguments being made today that she is constitutionally ineligible to be president and that would disqualify her as a VP candidate. I don’t know if the arguments are valid, and I don’t know what could be done about it even if they are. Would the Chief Justice(?) refuse to swear her in?
The logical candidate for VP is Governor Kemp of Georgia.
I am laughing so hard here.
I agree. However – i am always surprised at the # of women who reflexively support any woman over anyone else for some position or other, solely because she’s a woman. Democrat women of course support any democrat candidate forever, regardless of qualification or behaviour. No Republican woman will be forgiven anything, ever, especially if she’s attractive, well groomed, obviously intelligent and/or well educated, secure and self-confident and self possessed. Always a target, maybe especially because of those attributes.
WTF reward him for what he’s been doing so far?
You are too funny. Reward? What’s the definition of a white elephant? Best look up Vice President John Nance Garner’s opinion of the vice presidency.
Ron DeSantis ends his struggling presidential bid before New Hampshire and endorses Donald Trump (yahoo.com)
Any chance Trump would pick this guy?
DeSantis just dropped out, and will endorse Trump.
Which reminds me of this impassioned open letter from Powerline’s “Ammo Grrrll”, published in Aug ’22, which concludes thusly:
“So come on, gentlemen. Please. I’m begging you. Help us save our beloved country by setting aside personal ambition, ego, even well-deserved revenge, and work together to “deliver us from this evil.” Blessings be upon both of you. I will do ANYTHING to help.
Susan Vass (Ammo Grrrll), Maricopa, AZ”
I would, too.