Trump’s personal needs will override politics in choosing VP
Choosing a vice president to run on the 2024 Republican ticket will be difficult. If selected as the Republican presidential nominee, which is likely, Donald Trump’s personal needs will dominate. His outsized egotism, obsessive need for loyalty, and hypersensitivity to criticism will limit his choice and potentially corrupt his judgment.
Trump’s most obvious requirement for any potential pick is absolute loyalty, a requirement with no exceptions for the thinskinned former president. President Biden chose Kamila Harris after she aggressively challenged him in a presidential debate, an action many of his inner circle felt should have disqualified her. But Biden was willing to partner with someone with different views, an ability that Trump does not have.
What the VP candidate brings is usually the first consideration in their selection. The Kennedy clan disliked LBJ, but he could give Texas electoral votes and congressional leadership, so he was on the ticket. Nationally, little-known Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, chosen by Trump in 2016, was selected primarily for his strength among evangelists, an essential component of the Republican base, and likely because he was not seen as a threat to the candidate’s ego.
Keeping classified papers in his Mar-a-Lago home against expert advice and even sharing them with others is an excellent example of the former president’s ego taking precedence over sound judgment. This decision may put him in prison.
The need for unfettered loyalty and his ego will likely dictate whom Trump chooses to run with him. Unrelenting and unqualified loyalty is the standard that is likely to narrow his choices considerably.
Those on the Republican presidential debate stage are unlikely to be in the running.
“Would you support him, should Trump be the Republican nominee?” was the question asked of those on the initial debate stage. All but two, Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, never seriously in consideration for either the presidency or vice presidency, raised their hand.
As the campaign season progressed, no remaining candidate aggressively criticized the former president. Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis differed weakly. Even that is an unforgivable “sin” in the Trump family. Trump rarely forgets and values retribution. Unwavering loyalty is the standard.
The most likely choices are all women, an alternative that Trump has already indicated as a preference. In addition to the need to attract female voters, Trump loves to surround himself with attractive women, and the choice aligns with his need to appear youthful.
Attention to the choice of the Republican vice president, at this point, is primarily speculative, but the decision is about to enter a more serious examination.
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem stands high on the list. She has openly campaigned for the office. Like Trump, her policies as governor are far to the right, and her loyalty to Trump is unadulterated. Articulate and energetic, she would be a comfortable partner for the former president. Being physically attractive will add to her potential selection.
If glitz, energy and celebrity are the criteria, former Phoenix Fox news anchor and outspoken election denier Kari Lake will likely succeed. She already has the vote among die-hard Trump loyalists, where she is their first preference. She’s from Arizona, one of five swing states, making her an attractive choice. While the election-denying viewpoint resonates with most Republicans, it’s hard to see how it’s a winning strategy on the national scene.
Democrats, fearful of having Kamala Harris on the ticket, might want to temper their fear. Political experts claim that the vice president’s election pull is rarely decisive, and when it is, it is because the candidate is extreme or incompetent. Trump must avoid those alternatives to attract voters beyond his base.
Instead of choosing a nominee that increases his likelihood of winning or expanding his base, the smartest bet is that he will select the candidate that best accommodates his ego.