In an interview with Fox News Laura Ingram, former President Donald Trump mentioned six names as a possible VP running mate.
Two of those names include elected officials in Florida. Gov. Ron DeSantis and Southwest Fl. Congressman Byron Donalds (R). The rest were Vivek Ramaswamy, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R) and former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, a 2020 Democratic presidential candidate who left the party in 2022.
At a town hall event in Greenville, South Carolina, Ingraham asked the question because it has become a top issue among GOP ranks on who the front runner of the GOP primary will choose.
Trump told Ingram that the six names were actually on the short-list.
“Honestly, all of those people are good. They’re all good. They’re all solid,” said Trump.
DeSantis name being mentioned may have surprised some onlookers. During the GOP primary, Trump repeatedly trashed DeSantis. Calling “Ron DeSanctimonious.” Referred to him as an “average Republican governor with great Public Relations.” Trump told reporters that he regretted endorsing DeSantis in 2018.
Trump asserted that Charlie Crist did a better job as Governor. Trump said DeSantis did not handle the COVID crisis well compared to other states like New York. But in 2020, Trump had nothing but praise for the Florida Governor on reopening the state. He also criticized DeSantis for supporting the fair tax and looking at areas to allow some privatizing of Social Security accounts for younger workers. Both measures most Republicans support.
But when DeSantis announced he was suspending his campaign, the former president complimented DeSantis as a “really terrific person” and congratulated him on doing a “very good job.” while speaking at a rally in New Hampshire.
