INDIANOLA, Iowa – Some supporters of Donald Trump said Sunday they would back his 2024 presidential rival Vivek Ramaswamy as his top pick, but a top Trump adviser dismissed the notion.
Trump aide Jason Miller told The Post that voters “maybe” could reject Ramaswamy as a presidential running mate, given that Trump launched his biggest attack on him the night before.
The former president accused Ramaswamy of being “sneaky,” having “deceptive campaign tricks” and not being MAGA during Saturday’s scathing attack on Truth Social.
“It’s pretty safe to say it wasn’t Vivek,” Miller said.
Asked about Trump’s remarks toward Ramaswamy on Saturday, Ramaswamy’s campaign pointed The Post to their candidate later statement on X saying he would not “criticize [Trump] in response to this late attack.”
The biotech mogul has previously said he is not a “plan B guy,” while Trump said in August that Ramaswamy could be a “very good” vice president.
Miller, asked about the possibility of another GOP presidential contender, Nikki Haley, becoming Trump’s choice, said he would let Trump have a say in his decision.
Vivek Ramaswamy should not have waited for a call from Donald Trump asking him to be his running mate, Trump’s top adviser has said. AP
Haley refused to officially rule out a possible VP slot.
Trump, the front-runner in the GOP race, said Wednesday that he has chosen No. 2 but added that he had decided not to announce it yet.
Rumors have swirled that he is considering picking Haley, who is a distant second to him – and which he has not publicly ruled out as a possibility.
Among Iowa voters who attended a Trump event in Indianola on Sunday, a day before the state’s GOP caucus to choose a nominee, many said they would “trust” whoever he puts on the ticket.
“I will pray about it, and I will trust the outcome,” said a woman named Linda, who declined to give her last name.
Dan Heffernan, 64, of Altoona, said, “I don’t know what he was thinking because he always surprises me.”
Heffernan’s wife, Cheryl, 63, said she thought “he’s going to do really well.”
Others mentioned several Republican veep candidates they would be excited about, including Ramaswamy, media personality Tucker Carlson, 2016 presidential candidate Ben Carson, the Daily Wire’s Candace Owens and South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem.
Ramaswamy got big votes from dozens of voters The Post spoke to, given that he is close to Trump’s policies and that he is only 38 years old.
“He’s young, he’s passionate,” Paula Smith, 54, of Waukee said of Ramaswamy. “I don’t think there are any other good options.”
Some Iowa voters said they would like to see political outsiders, women or minorities as Trump’s vice presidential pick.
Trump adviser Jason Miller gives some insight into Trump’s VP pick. AP
“I want to see Kristi Noem,” said Denise Nelson, 71, of Norwalk. “She’s a very stable woman, a very stable governor.”
Jesse Stumbaugh, 44, of Des Moines was undecided about who he wanted to be Trump’s running mate — but said he was adamant that the choice was always loyal, noting that former Vice President Mike Pence ended up being unfaithful to Trump.
“I think Trump is loyal to his country and voters. Being loyal to Trump is a default of being loyal to our Constitution,” he said.
Brad Bousted, a Trump caucus volunteer, said he hopes that the Vice President is not the governor.
Donald Trump says he has already chosen someone to be his running mate. AP
“If he took all the good governors and sent them to Washington, DC, then that would leave the states a little disarmed to defend themselves against the federal government,” Bousted said, noting Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds could be a good choice but he should remain as governor.
Another Iowa voter said he would be thrilled to have Haley as VP, though he didn’t want to admit it.
“I hate to say it, but Nikki Haley. He got a lot of votes, so if they can get him there, I think they can probably get more votes,” said the Trump supporter, who declined to be named.
Other voters were less enthusiastic about Haley, who has drawn backlash from some Trump supporters, including her son, Donald Trump Jr.
Nikki Haley is shy about veepstakes. Getty Images
Jill Rowell, 60, feigned vomiting when asked about Haley’s prospects on the ticket.
“I would like to see Kari Lake as his Vice President,” he said, referring to the Senate candidate in Arizona.
Another woman from Des Moines, Gail Kirst, 73, told The Post she would support GOP presidential candidate and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis as Trump’s choice — but that prospect seems unlikely.
“I’d like to see DeSantis, but I think there’s something going on between them,” he said of the pair of political foes.
He argued that Ramaswamy would be a good choice too.
Additional reporting by Ryan King
Categories: Trending
Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
