There have been a lot of rumblings about who former President Donald Trump might select as his running mate should he end up capturing the GOP nomination, as is widely expected.
One person who would not be a fit, though, is one of Trump’s biggest rivals in the race right now — former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley (R).
This week, Donald Trump Jr. said he would very much be against his father selecting Haley as his running mate, telling Newsmax that he’d intervene to block the choice should his father end up leaning that way.
“I wouldn’t have her, and I would go to great lengths to make sure that that doesn’t happen,” he said.
Donald Trump Jr. puts his dad on notice over buzz of Nikki Haley as VP pick https://t.co/CicHksdgOg pic.twitter.com/dxi6zINc11
— New York Post (@nypost) December 26, 2023
Haley served as the ambassador to the United Nations during the Trump administration. As such, she’s been seen as a potential loyalist, even though she’s criticized her former boss on the campaign trail.
She would also fit Trump’s alleged preference to pick a female as his running mate this time around.
Even if his father does lean in that direction, though, Trump Jr. appears to be in favor of other potential candidates. That could include South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R) and former Fox News anchor Kari Lake.
Lake, who narrowly lost a bid for governor in Arizona during the 2022 midterm elections, is running to take the seat of Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ).
While she is still seen as a long shot to capture the GOP nomination, Haley has made some waves in recent months. She’s gained significant momentum on the campaign trail, even surpassing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) in some polls taken in early-nominating states.
This added notoriety has boosted her profile, which is why many political pundits have been saying she’d be a good fit as Trump’s running mate. But, even Haley’s own campaign poured some water on that possibility, saying this month that “she doesn’t play for second.”
Regardless of why she’s in the game, Haley is likely to finish in second place, at best, behind Trump, who has a commanding lead in nearly every poll.
