(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., took to the campaign trail in New Hampshire to support former President Donald Trump, the leading contender for the Republican presidential nomination. Simultaneously, she criticized former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, another Republican contender.
During her Saturday appearance at the Trump campaign HQ, Stefanik declared that selecting Haley as Trump’s running mate would be an error. This assertion stems from Stefanik’s observation of what she described as Haley’s “vicious attacks on Trump every single day,” as reported by the New York Post.
“It’s a non-starter. It’s a non-starter for voters,” Stefanik emphasized, referring to the prospect of Trump selecting Haley as his running mate. Stefanik, a rumored Trump favorite for the vice-presidential nomination, did not rule out the possibility of being chosen herself. But said that whoever Trump picks would be the “right” decision.
“You know, and I know, and Joe Biden knows that Donald Trump is going to WIN this November.” — New York Congresswoman Elise Stefanik @EliseStefanik in Concord, New Hampshire
Watch LIVE: https://t.co/YgRa8utJI0 pic.twitter.com/GRLd8Mcpf6
— RSBN 🇺🇸 (@RSBNetwork) January 20, 2024
“He’s going to make the right decision. I trust him to make the right decision for him. So he’s going to look for qualities that he thinks are important,” Stefanik stated, expressing her willingness to serve in any capacity in a potential Trump administration. “I’d be proud to serve in a Trump administration in any capacity.”
In contrast, Haley, currently trailing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in New Hampshire, firmly rejected questions from the media about joining Trump as his running mate.
“I’ve said from the very beginning: I don’t play for second. I don’t want to be anybody’s vice president. That is off the table,” she declared on Friday.
However, the likelihood of such an offer seems slim, as Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr., and some of his strongest allies, including Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Matt Gaetz, vehemently oppose Haley as a potential running mate. They point to her focus on foreign policy and ties to the Republican establishment, diverging from the MAGA and America First agendas.
DeSantis, second-ranking Republican contender, also declined the potential vice-presidential offer, expressing a preference to remain as governor until 2026 when his term expires. He stated that he would support Trump if he secured the Republican nomination.
JUST NOW: DeSantis says voters are “owed an answer” on whether Nikki Haley would accept a vice presidential nomination from Donald Trump: “Yes or no?”
“I’m the only one that can beat [Trump] — there’s a reason they spend money against me. He has not spent any money against her.… pic.twitter.com/7dI6kO9rcg
— DeSantis War Room (@DeSantisWarRoom) December 15, 2023