Republican South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem revealed Thursday that she wouldn’t hesitate to consider a chance to be former President Donald Trump’s running mate in 2024.
“Oh, absolutely,” Noem said during an interview with Newsmax, when asked whether she would consider a theoretical opportunity to be on the 2024 Republican presidential ticket with Trump.
“I would in a heartbeat,” she added. “Just because you respect the position and the person who asks you to do something and then see if you really believe that you could make a difference.”
Noem, 51, is expected to endorse the 77-year-old former president’s 2024 candidacy on Friday at a rally in South Dakota, according to CNN, fueling speculation that Trump might select her as his running mate if he gets the 2024 GOP presidential nomination.
Noem suggested that she would be a strong pick to be Trump’s vice presidential candidate during the interview Thursday.
“Trump needs a strong partner if he’s going to take back the White House,” she argued. “And he’s going to need somebody who knows what it’s like to run a business, to be an employee, earn a paycheck, but also having a wife, mom, and grandma isn’t bad either. And I think that that kind of perspective would weigh in very well on a lot of policy decisions.”
Noem, who was endorsed by Trump during her 2022 re-election race, initially shied away from backing the former president’s third White House bid, telling the New York Times that he didn’t offer the GOP “the best chance” in 2024.
Her comment came after the lackluster performance of GOP candidates in the 2022 midterm elections.
However, Noem has remained in contact and on good terms with Trump, according to CNN.
Trump singled out the South Dakota governor earlier this week for having implemented better COVID policies than Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, his GOP presidential primary rival, during an interview with conservative radio talk show host Hugh Hewitt.
Trump leads the primary field by nearly 40 points, according to the latest RealClearPolitics average of national polls.
“It’s early to be having these conversations,” Noem said of the running mate rumblings. “Obviously, President Trump is doing very well in the Republican primary. I don’t see how anybody else can beat him and I’ve supported him in this race because he’s the best one to lead our country.”
