Speaking with conservative radio host Lisa Boothe, former President Donald Trump listed the “very good” candidates he sees as potential Presidential candidates for 2024 in the Republican party.
Those listed included names like Florida Governor Ron Desantis, Texas Senator Ted Cruz, Missouri Senator Josh Hawley, and others who have notably stood by and defended Trump’s words and actions.
One notable name that Trump left off the list is his former Vice-President, Mike Pence.
Business Insider notes that Pence is strongly considering a run for the White House in 2024 if Trump does not run, but Trump continues to disparage and slight him in public.
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During the interview, Trump continued his false claims that the election was stolen, and that Pence didn’t do what he could to refuse to certify the electoral votes that gave Joe Biden the election over Trump, a power that Pence did not actually have:
“It’s too bad Mike Pence didn’t [refuse to certify the election’s results], because you would have had a much different result had Mike Pence gone — he could have said, ‘I’m sorry, but this was not approved by the state legislature, and according to the Constitution, it had to be.”
Trump also took the opportunity to go after some other Republicans like Senators Lisa Murkowski and Ben Sasse, the latter of whom he called a “loser.”
Trump noted that he will endorse Republican candidates who support his ongoing movement and agenda, even if they have “said something a little bit off-color with respect to me” in the past,” a turn from his previous position of going after every Republican who said or did anything to slight him.
For four years Mike Pence stood by Donald Trump not only as his vice president but as a vocal ally. Even after pro-Trump supporters stormed the Capitol and threatened to kill him and chanted “hang Mike Pence” in the halls of the Capitol he still remained loyal.
Later, Pence refused to invoke the 25th Amendment to remove Trump from office. So, being so dedicated and loyal one would think that Trump would have Pence on speed dial and want him on his side as he runs again in 2024. However, Trump’s closest aides have told him it would be in his best interest to choose a Black or female running mate.
Pence jumped aboard the Trump train and now he gets no return ticket.
Bloomberg reports that Trump “is telling allies he’s strongly considering another run for president in 2024—and close advisers want him to choose someone other than former vice president Mike Pence for his ticket, according to people familiar with the discussions.”
So, in laymen’s terms, Pence followed the Constitution for a minute or two, but for 4 years stayed loyal no matter the stupidity that spewed from Trump’s mouth, but that one moment of clarity will always have him labeled a traitor in Trump’s mind.
So, whom could Team Trump have in mind to replace Pence?
One name being tossed around is Sout Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, but another choice could be much closer to home. A choice that Trump would never have to question their loyalty…Ivanka Trump.
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There is another female budding politician in the Trump clan that may be considered as well, Eric Trump’s wife, Lara.
Reportedly, Ivanka and her husband, Jared, have been plotting for the past four years to make her the first female president so for Ivanka running as her father’s vice president would be a logical stepping stone.
However, there are those, including Trump’s estranged niece, Mary, who do not believe Trump will run for president in 2024 but are leading people to believe he will so he can rake in the cash in campaign donations.
“There’s no way that he is going to put himself in the position of losing again,” Mary Trump said while appearing on MSNBC.
Mary is a psychologist and the author of a bestselling book about her uncle. She spoke with MSNBC just minutes after her uncle had finished his speech at the CPAC.
During his speech, again falsely claimed that he won the 2020 election and that it was stolen from him by Democrats through voter fraud.
“Who knows, I may even decide to beat them for the third time,” Trump stated during his speech.
Mary shares that she doubts that her uncle will actually go through with another campaign, but she adds that he has a lot to gain by insinuating that he plans to.
“I think he’s going to pretend to [run], for sure. Think about how much money he’s made off the Big Lie in the last few months,” she said.
“He’s made more money since President Biden won the election than I think he has in his entire life,” she added. “So, I don’t think he’s going to let that grift go quite so soon.”
In a 20-day period after the 2020 election, the Trump campaign and other Republican organizations raised more than $207.5 million. During that 20- day period, they sent out hundreds of fundraising emails and texts pushing false claims of voter fraud.
Mary goes on to ad that whether her uncle runs or not there is a larger issue within the GOP.
“The problem is the Republican Party seems determined to keep him legitimate,” she said. “Republicans time after time have refused to take the off-ramp away from him, and decided that it was better for their future prospects to keep him a relevant player.”
Mary stated that the GOP under Trump became “anti-democratic.”
“The Republican Party is not interested in democracy,” she said. “It is willing to embrace counter-majoritarian tactics in order to hold power illegitimately, no matter how much in the minority they are.”
