As Donald Trump closes in on the Republican nomination, the effective audition to become his vice-president is also under way.
As she addressed a crushing crowd of volunteers and media at Donald Trump’s New Hampshire headquarters on Saturday, New York congresswoman Elise Stefanik received a welcome chant.
“VP! VP! VP!” one man shouted across the room.
While vice-presidential candidates typically aren’t picked until after a candidate has locked down the nomination, Trump’s decisive win in last week’s Iowa caucuses and the departure of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis from the race have only heightened what had already been a widespread sense of inevitability that he will be the Republican nominee.
That has given the campaign trail stops by Stefanik and other Republicans the feel of a public tryout reminiscent of Trump’s days as a reality TV host.
Many Republicans covet a spot on the presidential ticket with Trump as a chance to serve in a high-profile role that has elevated many ambitious politicians from relative obscurity.
That interest comes despite the fate of Trump’s first vice-president, Mike Pence. For four years, Pence was Trump’s most loyal defender, advocating for him at every turn. But in the final months of their administration, Trump turned on Pence, casting him as disloyal for refusing to go along with his unconstitutional effort to block President Joe Biden’s win.
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Pence’s role in certifying the 2020 election not only threatened his life during the insurrection at the US Capitol but also sidelined his political career.
He would end his own bid for this year’s Republican presidential nomination in October after failing to get traction. Many of Trump’s supporters still believe the former president’s lies about the election and view Pence as a traitor.
The Trump campaign has held several events in both Iowa and New Hampshire with high-profile surrogates.
Beyond serving as opportunities to display their loyalty and star power to Trump’s team, the events serve as a reward for volunteers as well as a recruiting tool that brings in new faces, senior Trump officials said.
Stefanik joined Trump on stage at his Friday night rally in New Hampshire and stopped by his campaign headquarters the next morning to thank volunteers and make calls. In both appearances, she stressed that she was the first member of Congress to endorse Trump’s comeback bid.
“I’m proud to be one of his strongest supporters, particularly at key moments,” she told reporters. Asked if she would consider being his running mate, Stefanik said, “Of course I’d be honoured, I’ve said that for a year, to serve in a future Trump administration in any capacity.
