Donald Trump speaks at CPAC in Orlando, Florida on February 28.
Photographer: Elijah Nouvelage / Bloomberg
Photographer: Elijah Nouvelage / Bloomberg
Donald Trump is telling allies that he is strongly considering another presidential run in 2024 – and close advisers want him to choose someone other than former Vice President Mike Pence for his ticket, according to people familiar with the discussions.
Trump publicly provoked at the Conservative Political Action Conference on Sunday that he is considering another presidential candidacy. In particular, he discussed alternatives to Pence by taking stock of who he believes was with him at the end of his term and who did not, according to two people.
They requested anonymity because the conversations were private.
Trump’s advisers discussed identifying a black or running mate for his next run, and three people familiar with the matter said Pence is unlikely to be on the ticket.
Two advisers suggested that Trump consider South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, people said. Donald Trump Jr. and his girlfriend, Kimberly Guilfoyle, are organizing a fundraiser for Noem on Friday at Trump’s resort in Mar-a-Lago and at his home in Palm Beach. The former president plans to make an appearance, people familiar with the matter said.
And on Tuesday, Trump issued a public endorsement for Senator Tim Scott’s re-election from South Carolina. Scott is the only black Republican in the United States Senate.
Pence rejected his boss’s calls to unilaterally overturn Trump’s reelection defeat when he presided over the counting of votes in the Electoral College in Congress on January 6. The event turned into an uprising by Trump supporters, who invaded the Capitol, interrupted the count and forced the vice president and members of Congress to flee. Five people died in the confusion.
Mike Pence and Karen Pence arrive at Joe Biden’s inauguration in Washington, DC, on January 20.
Photographer: Kevin Dietsch / UPI / Bloomberg
The two men did not speak for days. Pence did not say whether he would be interested in competing with Trump again, according to a person familiar with the situation, who believes it is doubtful that Pence would.
A Pence spokesman did not immediately comment.
“President Trump has made no decision regarding a potential run for 2024, but the secret here is that the media can’t stop talking about him,” said Jason Miller, Trump’s adviser.
At Trump’s camp, there has been no serious consideration of future presidential candidates yet, people familiar with the matter said. If he runs, Trump probably won’t make a formal announcement until the summer of 2023, they said.
At a rally outside the White House before the deadly January 6 riot, Trump said he would win the 2020 election if Pence did “the right thing” and rejected the Electoral College votes for Joe Biden from several states where the former president claimed, without evidence, that widespread fraud cost him victory.
After pennies refused, Trump tweeted that his vice president “did not have the courage to do what should be done to protect our country and our constitution”. At the time, the crowd swarmed the Capitol, with some rebels shouting “hang Mike Pence” while the Secret Service took the vice president to safety.
Although Trump did not formally announce his candidacy for the CPAC on Sunday, his first public appearance since leaving office on January 20, he hinted at another offer. Trump recited the achievements of his White House mandate, repeated his false claim that he won the 2020 elections and added: “Who knows? I may even decide to beat them a third time. “
Read more: Trump teases possible themes for 2024 Run In Speech Recalling 2016
The former president’s public thinking about another race may effectively freeze the 2024 Republican presidential camp, as many other prominent Republican Party candidates are likely to wait for the former president’s decision before announcing their own campaigns.
Trump is building a political framework that would serve as a campaign base if he decides to run again, including an existing political action committee, Save America, which accepts donations until $ 5,000 per individual. A new super Cap, which would accept unlimited donations, is also planned.
Pence was invited to speak at CPAC, but informed the organizers weeks before the event that he and his family had decided to keep their discretion in the first half of the year. He said he is opening a transition office and plans to return to Indiana this summer.
The former vice president is considered to be a potential first-tier candidate in 2024. A Harvard-Harris poll conducted February 23-25, concluded that 42% of Republican voters preferred Trump as their candidate for 2024, compared to 18% for Pence, who came in second place.
Without Trump, Pence led the field with the support of 36% of Republican voters, followed by Texas Senator Ted Cruz with 13%.