South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem remains front-and-center among 2024 Republican vice-presidential candidates, Politico reported.
Noem, who chose not to enter the GOP presidential race, appears to be a stronger contender to be former President Donald Trump's next running mate, Politico said Friday.
Polls have consistently shown Trump leading the Republican primary field by a wide margin.
Both Noem and Trump will appear at a sold-out GOP fundraiser in Rapid City, South Dakota on Friday. One source told Politico that the governor will use the occasion to endorse the former president.
CNN first reported news of the endorsement.
Corey Lewandowski, Trump's first campaign manager, will be accompanying the former president to South Dakota. He has had an on-again, off-again role in advising Noem.
Besides appearing regularly on TV, Noem is running a $5 million national ad blitz to lure more workers to South Dakota. She's also avoiding having to answer the tough questions candidates face during a presidential debate or campaign.
"She's played her cards right," veteran GOP strategist Dave Carney, based in New Hampshire, told Politico. "She's articulate. She has a lot of energy, and she might make an attractive ticket for the president."
Noem told Newsmax on Thursday that she "absolutely" would consider becoming Trump's running mate in the 2024 presidential election.
Carney told Politico there would be one downside for Trump in selecting Noem: "It's South Dakota with three electoral votes. It doesn't bring in any Republicans."
He added, though, that Noem shouldn't be underestimated.
"You can't run for vice president," Carney said, "but Noem has done a good job."
Noem determined that Trump was unbeatable, and so there was no reason to enter the GOP presidential primary field.
"The fact is, none of them can win as long as Trump's in the race," Noem said recently on Fox News. "And that's just the facts. So why run if you can't win."
Lewandowski says Noem finds herself in an enviable position due to her tactic.
"I think it shows an enormous level of sophistication," said Lewandowski, who calls himself an "overzealous volunteer" for Noem, Politico reported.
Supporters in South Dakota understand Noem has future plans.
"It's clear that she's positioning herself to get to be selected as vice president or, in the alternative, if something happens where President Trump starts to falter, or doesn't receive the nomination, to run for president to pick up the MAGA flag and carry the banner," one South Dakota-based Noem donor told Politico.
"Everybody assumes she's running. It's very obvious. Not a week goes by where she's not on Fox News. It's a national strategy."
Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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