Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis this week asked former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley to publicly state whether she would accept a vice presidential nomination from former President Donald Trump, should he win the Republican primary nomination.
DeSantis made the comments while campaigning in New Hampshire on Friday, as rumors began to gain momentum that Trump would choose Haley as his running mate.
“I’m the only one who can beat Trump, let’s be clear about that,” DeSantis told the audience. “Haley can’t get enough support from mainstream Republicans and conservatives, he is getting support from people who are not Republicans or in the 10-15%. [Never Trump-wing of the GOP], which is fine, I mean, you need those people to win overall. But you have to be able to attract conservatives and core Republicans, and I’m the only one who can do that.”
“And the people who are for Trump, I am their next choice,” he said. “If everyone else came out except me and Trump, all these other candidates, I would get that support because they would see it. I’m the only one who can beat him. There’s a reason they spend money against me. Haley and Trump spend money against me. He has not spent any money against her. And she hasn’t spent any money against him. She won’t answer directly, and she owes them an answer to this: Will she accept a vice presidential nomination from Donald Trump? Yes or no?”
DeSantis said that under no circumstances would he accept a vice presidential nomination from Trump because that is not why he is running and that he would “rather be governor than vice president” because he can “do more for my state and this country, no question asked.”
RIGHT 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 am the only one who can win [Trump] — there is a reason why they spend money against me. He has not spent money against her… pic.twitter.com/7dI6kO9rcg
– DeSantis War Room
(@DeSantisWarRoom) December 15, 2023
DeSantis’ comments are largely accurate, according to campaign finance records that show more money was spent attacking him during the 2024 election than any other candidate, regardless of party. He has spent more money attacking him than all other Republicans combined.
2024 POTUS Candidates Affected by Negative Independent Spending (as of 12/14)
$30,108,510 DeSantis
$20,725,030 Biden
$18,876,410 Triumph$9,107,569 Haley
$70,390 ramawamy
$2,664 Christian
$1,875 Hutchinson https://t.co/ioJWXPv4o0 pic.twitter.com/La9v0NJHfT-Rob Pyers (@rpyers) December 15, 2023
Rumors about Haley as who Trump wants to be his vice president began last week when her daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, suggested Trump was open to the idea when asked about it on Newsmax.
When asked about it by radio host Howie Carr on Friday, Trump said that while it was “unlikely,” he found the idea “interesting” but said he was “not even thinking about it.”
“I’ve always gotten along with Nikki,” he added.
The rumor was corroborated by the response that several of Trump’s staunchest allies in Congress posted on social media this week.
“MAGA would revolt if Nikki Haley was even granted an internship in the next Trump administration,” said Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA). “She represents the last wing of the American neoconservative establishment of the Republican Party that we are done with. Furthermore, she lied and said that she would not run against Trump.”
“Correct,” Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) responded.
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) added, “Nikki Haley would be a terrible vice presidential choice.”
