MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN — On Tuesday, Ron DeSantis said he would not consider running as vice president with former President Donald Trump in 2024.
“I’m not a number two guy,” DeSantis told host Jim Piwowarczyk during an interview with Wisconsin Right Now, a conservative podcast.
“I think I’m a leader – governor of Florida – I’ve accomplished a lot,” DeSantis said. “I think I could do more staying there than being VP, which doesn’t really have any authority.”
The thought of Trump choosing DeSantis seems far-fetched, despite many conservative pundits’ desire to see the pair dominate the campaign cycle together. Once rumors surfaced that DeSantis may consider throwing his hat in the ring, Trump has repeatedly insulted the governor.
WHO WOULD DESANTIS CHOOSE AS HIS VP?
But DeSantis declined when asked to name two people he would consider choosing as a running mate. The governor says it would be “a little bit presumptuous” at this stage in his campaign.
So, who might DeSantis choose as a running mate if he wins the Republican nomination? Florida GOP Chairman Christian Ziegler says Republicans have a deep bench.
DeSantis may choose one of the current Republicans running for president that loses the primary. Still, it’s more likely that he will choose another state governor who shares the same conservative values and ideas to revive a “country in decline.”
DeSantis has spent considerable time alongside Iowa’s Governor Kim Reynolds in recent months, not just because she will oversee the Hawkeye State’s caucuses next year but because her values align closely with the governor.
Reynolds swapped motherhood stories with Casey DeSantis last week as Florida’s First Lady launched Mamas for DeSantis during her first solo campaign trip to Iowa.
But Ziegler says other conservative governors such as Brian Kemp and Kristi Noem won big in their respective states and could also be on a shortlist.
In January, Politico called Kemp “the most resilient conservative politician of the Trump era, with a gift for finding a solid spot on shifting ground and fixing himself there.” But he’s also the only Republican governor who won twice in a purple state under challenging circumstances, which could benefit DeSantis in swing states.
Neither DeSantis nor Trump have provided public clues on who they would pick if they would win the GOP nomination. The strategy may depend on the top issues when the nomination is decided next year.
But DeSantis did say he would back the Republican nominee, regardless of who wins.
