What’s Happening:
From all appearances, Donald Trump is the Republican frontrunner for the 2024 nomination. All polls suggest he is leading by a large percentage. The other top Republican candidates are barely breaking into double digits. Unless something unexpected happens, Trump will be the party’s nominee.
Which, of course, raises other questions. Who within the GOP will align with Trump? Will there be the rise of “NeverTrumpers” who oppose his candidacy? The former president has already secured the support of popular Republican Gov. Kristi Noem. He will be headlining a fundraiser with her in South Dakota. And now, the rumors are flying.
From Fox News:
Trump, the commanding front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination, is headlining the sold-out political gathering in Rapid City, South Dakota.
Noem, a longtime Trump supporter and ally, will appear with him on stage and is expected to endorse the former president. And just as important, the appearance of the two politicians joining forces is sparking speculation that the former president may be eyeing the governor as a potential running mate in 2024.
Trump will be hosting a sold-out fundraising event in Rapid City, South Dakota. The event will be bringing in cash for the South Dakota GOP. On stage with him will be Gov. Noem, who is expected to give her endorsement for Trump’s 2024 run.
Some have wondered why Trump would devote time to an event in South Dakota, given how deeply red it already is. South Dakota’s in the bag for him, some might say. Is this event more than just raising support for the party and his campaign?
Perhaps this will be a test of Noem’s ability to stand side-by-side with the former president. Could this provide Trump an opportunity to gauge her as a second-in-command? Pundits have been mulling over possible running mates for Trump for weeks now.
We know he will not bring back Mike Pence, who is running for president himself. Some have floated the name of Vivek Ramaswamy, another GOP candidate.
But Kristi Noem could be an unexpected pick, that scores big points for the Trump train. Noem hails from a state that did not go into lockdown during COVID–thanks to her leadership. She provides a strong counter to Biden’s running mate, the hapless Kamala Harris–best known for her word salads.
And, Noem is in her second term as governor, so her prospects are open.
Noem, for the time, says she hasn’t discussed anything with Trump. But that might change. Depending on how well this event goes, she might be in the running to become Trump’s next vice president.
Key Takeaways:
- Trump will be headlining a fundraiser in South Dakota, alongside Gov. Noem.
- Rumors are growing that Trump will select the popular governor to be his next running mate.
- Kristi Noem said she has not discussed plans with Donald Trump.
Source: Fox News
