Former President Donald Trump confirmed six candidates as part of his “shortlist” for a 2024 running mate during a Tuesday town hall event, including multiple former GOP rivals and a former Democrat representative.
During a South Carolina town hall event with Fox News host Laura Ingraham on Tuesday, the former president was asked to give his thoughts on the audience’s top choices for his 2024 running mate.
Ingraham told Trump the audience’s top picks included business entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, Florida Representative Byron Donalds, and South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem. Ingraham also noted that the audience’s suggestions included former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, who was a former Democrat before becoming an independent in 2022.
After announcing the audience’s choices, Ingraham asked Trump if the six candidates were on his shortlist for vice president.
“They are,” Trump answered, adding later, “Honestly, all of those people are good. They’re all good; they’re all solid.”
While Trump confirmed several candidates on his shortlist for a running mate in November’s election, the former president told Ingraham that his running mate decision might not have significantly impacted the campaign.
“The one thing that always surprises me is that the VP choice has absolutely no impact,” Trump stated.
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Trump pointed to former Republican Senator John McCain’s announcement of Sarah Palin as the Republican vice presidential nominee in 2008, indicating that while the announcement initially sparked momentum in the race against former President Barack Obama, the momentum subsided after Palin faced multiple political attacks.
While Trump did not provide a timeline for announcing a running mate during Tuesday’s town hall, he highlighted the importance of any candidate having “common sense” and the ability to serve as an effective president.
“It’s a very important position,” he said. “You would like to get somebody who could help you from the voters’ standpoint.”
“I always say I want people with common sense,” Trump added. “There’s so many things happening in this country that don’t make sense. Who wants an open border? Who wants high interest rates? Who wants all electric vehicles?”
