Casting call: 'Outright auditions' playing out as VP hopefuls try to co-star on Trump's 2024 ticket

[mystery-ak]

‘Outright auditions’ playing out as vice president hopefuls try to co-star on Trump 2024 ticket
By
Julia Johnson
January 26, 2024 9:36 am

As former President Donald Trump appears increasingly certain to nab the Republican presidential nomination in 2024, vice presidential tryouts are taking place earlier than ever.

Former Trump White House press secretary Sean Spicer remarked on how the process’s dynamics have changed, explaining, “It used to be that the standard answer was, ‘I have a job right now,’ and you wanted to downplay your interest.

“Now there’s outright auditions happening.”

The unusual 2024 Republican primary race, during which Trump has remained a dominant force, has ushered in early veepstakes, as Trump seems to have a de facto incumbent status.

Former presidential candidates Vivek Ramaswamy and Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) have been speculated for the running mate position in the last few weeks. The two men both endorsed Trump and stumped for him in person on the campaign trail in New Hampshire.

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https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/campaigns/2819880/auditions-vice-president-hopefuls-trump-2024-ticket/

[unite for individuality]

Former presidential candidates Vivek Ramaswamy and Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) have been speculated for the running mate position in the last few weeks. The two men both endorsed Trump and stumped for him in person on the campaign trail in New Hampshire.

My choice for VP would be Kari Lake.
But Mr Trump should delay announcing his choice for as long as possible,
to keep everyone competing with one another to seek his blessing.

[DB]

My choice for VP would be Kari Lake.
But Mr Trump should delay announcing his choice for as long as possible,
to keep everyone competing with one another to seek his blessing.

She'd be perfect.

A former Democrat Obama supporter who went door to door to campaign for him.

[LMAO]

She'd be perfect.

A former Democrat Obama supporter who went door to door to campaign for him.

Boom!

[Maj. Bill Martin]

My choice for VP would be Kari Lake.
But Mr Trump should delay announcing his choice for as long as possible,
to keep everyone competing with one another to seek his blessing.

I don't mean any offense, but this aspect of the MAGA worldview - that everyone else should be subordinated to and deferential towards Trump - is one of the reasons I simply cannot bring myself to vote for him again.

[Mesaclone]

I'd put a LOT of money on Sarah Huckabee Sanders...she's a bit of a perfect fit. She's smart but won't overshadow. She's loyal but doesn't come off as a sycophant. She's a mom and can appeal to suburban mom's and women generally.  Seems like a no-brainer as a  VP choice.

[roamer_1]

I don't mean any offense, but this aspect of the MAGA worldview - that everyone else should be subordinated to and deferential towards Trump - is one of the reasons I simply cannot bring myself to vote for him again.

Me too... That stank from the get-go, which is why I treat him so lightly. The expected sovereign-like respect and near fawning makes me laugh - Especially when it isn't given and they pop a spring over it.

It's hilarious.

[roamer_1]

I'd put a LOT of money on Sarah Huckabee Sanders...she's a bit of a perfect fit. She's smart but won't overshadow. She's loyal but doesn't come off as a sycophant. She's a mom and can appeal to suburban mom's and women generally.  Seems like a no-brainer as a  VP choice.

A Huckabee is a Huckabee... That apple didn't fall far from the horse.

[libertybele]

Many people aren't going to vote for Trump again, simply, well, because he's Trump.  He would be wise to pick a very strong and well known VP.

Knowing Trump he'll pick someone who has little name recognition and won't add much to the ticket, just like Pence.

[Fishrrman]

Nobody with lady parts.
No "persons of color".
No tokens of wokeness.

Pick a white male of substance.

My choices would be Rand Paul or perhaps J.D. Vance.

There are rumors that Lee Zeldin (NY candidate for governor last time 'round) may be getting a look-see.

[Mesaclone]

A Huckabee is a Huckabee... That apple didn't fall far from the horse.

I agree she's a clone of her father. On the bright side, I like her father. He's a little bit milque-toast but he's a solid conservative on pretty much every issue.

[roamer_1]

I agree she's a clone of her father. On the bright side, I like her father. He's a little bit milque-toast but he's a solid conservative on pretty much every issue.

Nice guy I guess... And a social conservative. But a fiscal nightmare.

[Mesaclone]

Nice guy I guess... And a social conservative. But a fiscal nightmare.

Who would you consider the "perfect" conservative...currently active in office...who could serve as VP? Trump must pick from those both willing and able...and of those, Huckabee seems a solid choice to me. Are you arguing she is not?

[Maj. Bill Martin]

I'd put a LOT of money on Sarah Huckabee Sanders...she's a bit of a perfect fit. She's smart but won't overshadow. She's loyal but doesn't come off as a sycophant. She's a mom and can appeal to suburban mom's and women generally.  Seems like a no-brainer as a  VP choice.

I'd love to see her run in 2028.

That said, I don't think it will be offered to her, and I'd hope she wouldn't accept if it was.   Trump values personal loyalty above everything else, and that's the direction he likely will go.  The issue is that if principles/ideology are more.important to someone than personal loyalty - as they should be - then they're a bad fit for Trump.

[roamer_1]

Who would you consider the "perfect" conservative...currently active in office...who could serve as VP? Trump must pick from those both willing and able...and of those, Huckabee seems a solid choice to me. Are you arguing she is not?

None. Doesn't matter.

Any worth their salt would not sully themselves joining to liberal, big spending Tump.
Instant career wrecker, holding onto that tar baby.

[Mesaclone]

None. Doesn't matter.

Any worth their salt would not sully themselves joining to liberal, big spending Tump.
Instant career wrecker, holding onto that tar baby.

So who in the party would you say is “worth their salt”? DeSantis? Cruz?

[roamer_1]

So who in the party would you say is “worth their salt”? DeSantis? Cruz?

DeSantis, surely. Cruz, not so much... Paul... I pay mind to the Freedom Caucus... Any retaining a 90%+ ACU rate I am going to like. Any less than that are not likely to be conservative in reality. And usually that is because of fiscal issues.

[LMAO]

I don’t care who he picks for his vice president

Hard pass on Trump

[Mesaclone]

DeSantis, surely. Cruz, not so much... Paul... I pay mind to the Freedom Caucus... Any retaining a 90%+ ACU rate I am going to like. Any less than that are not likely to be conservative in reality. And usually that is because of fiscal issues.

Well…Saint DeSantis endorsed Trump when he dropped out of the race. The obvious conclusion is that a shrewd conservative like Ron sees Trump as sufficiently conservative to go back to the White House. Perhaps he understands that there is a time for internal battles…and a time to unite and win back the White House…and thus save the Republic. Anything less would be, potentially, permanently damaging to the conservative cause.

So, I’m with Ron DeSantis on this one.

[roamer_1]

Well…Saint DeSantis endorsed Trump when he dropped out of the race.

I don't care.

The obvious conclusion is that a shrewd conservative like Ron sees Trump as sufficiently conservative to go back to the White House.

No one could possibly make that mistake.

Perhaps he understands that there is a time for internal battles…and a time to unite and win back the White House…and thus save the Republic. Anything less would be, potentially, permanently damaging to the conservative cause.

So, I’m with Ron DeSantis on this one.

If that's his thinking, then he's dead to me.

[DB]

We all know what happened to Cruz.

Ron's move was a political calculation and nothing more.

We'll see what happens.

[roamer_1]

We all know what happened to Cruz.

Ron's move was a political calculation and nothing more.

We'll see what happens.

Yeah... I think that's right.  I don't hold it against him. Being a Republican, he has obligations.
I am under no such restriction.

[Maj. Bill Martin]

Well…Saint DeSantis endorsed Trump when he dropped out of the race. The obvious conclusion is that a shrewd conservative like Ron sees Trump as sufficiently conservative to go back to the White House. Perhaps he understands that there is a time for internal battles…and a time to unite and win back the White House…and thus save the Republic. Anything less would be, potentially, permanently damaging to the conservative cause.

So, I’m with Ron DeSantis on this one.

Alternatively, DeSantis is a man of his word and had agreed, as a condition of participating in the debates, to support whomever the nominee was going to be.  Because the entire reason he dropped out was that he didn't believe it was possible to beat Trump, that's the guy he was obliged to endorse.

Personally, I really dislike the GOP requirement that all participants in a debate must pledge to support the eventual nominee. Especially because they don't really enforce it.  If they are going to have such a pledge, it should be limited to agreeing to support those candidates who also agree to that pledge.

At this point, I personally do not see Trump as being part of conservatism, so I don't see it as an "internal" battle at all.  But the debate precondition was supporting the "Republican" nominee regardless of whether they are a conservative, so I understand why DeSantis had to do what he did.

[Mesaclone]

We all know what happened to Cruz.

Ron's move was a political calculation and nothing more.

We'll see what happens.

No doubt it was a political calculation...and it was clearly the right one. These guys don't have to love each other, but they have to act in concert to fight off the Mongol horde. Once that has been defeated, they can quarrel all they'd like.

[Mesaclone]

I'd love to see her run in 2028.

That said, I don't think it will be offered to her, and I'd hope she wouldn't accept if it was.   Trump values personal loyalty above everything else, and that's the direction he likely will go.  The issue is that if principles/ideology are more.important to someone than personal loyalty - as they should be - then they're a bad fit for Trump.

They have a strong past working relationship and she has been very loyal and gracious to him since that time. He is also on great terms with her father. So I don't think the loyalty test is an issue. I think putting her as his "2nd" will reassure a lot of hard core traditional conservatives and can also help with suburban women. As to whether she'd say yes...who knows. I'd guess its pretty darn likely but that's not based on anything beyond my gut feeling.