(ReliableNews.org) – The Republican Party is in the middle of its primary. Former President Donald Trump and former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley are duking it out, but the former is winning by a lot. Though the battle between those two is not over, another fight for Trump’s vice presidential pick if he wins has already started.
There are reportedly several people in the running to be Trump’s VP. Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) is the alleged frontrunner in the race. The New York congresswoman is the third most powerful House Republican.
Stefanik became the chairwoman of the House Republican Conference after former Rep. Liz Cheney’s (R-WY) career imploded when she went after Trump. Stefanik vocally backed the former president and has remained his ally since he left office. She even rescinded her endorsement of GOP House candidate Craig Riedel, who is running for office in Ohio, after audio leaked of him saying he didn’t want Trump’s endorsement and calling him “arrogant.”
Trump and Stefanik campaigned together in New Hampshire earlier in January. The congresswoman has also made a series of posts on social media supporting him. In recent weeks, she has also said she would not commit to certifying the 2024 election if Trump loses. Instead, the representative said she would “see if this is a legal and valid election.”
According to sources who spoke to The Hill, Stefanik is one of the former president’s closest allies. “He trusts her,” the source said, calling the congresswoman Trump’s “chief defender on Capitol Hill.”
In addition to Stefanik, South Dakota Kristi Noem is in the mix, as is former GOP candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, Nikki Haley, former HUD Secretary Ben Carson, and South Carolina Senator Tim Scott. Newsweek reported that UK-based Betfair has offered odds on the race, saying Stefanik has the best odds of being chosen at 9/2 and Noem is in second place at 6/1.
Trump has said he isn’t in any rush to choose a VP nominee, but he will think about it in the following months. The next primary is in South Carolina in February.
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