Staff Reports
Former President Donald Trump is sniffing around for a potential running mate who won’t rock the boat on abortion rights. Rumor has it that Trump, fresh off securing enough delegates to slip past the Republican presidential nomination, is eyeing some familiar faces for the big dance against President Joe Biden. With former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley bowing out of the race after a disappointing Super Tuesday, all eyes are on who will take the coveted VP spot.
During a recent dinner down at Mar-a-Lago, Trump made small talk with the crowd, getting the scoop on potential vice presidential picks and, of course, dipping his toes into the abortion debate. The grapevine says that Trump was particularly interested in Sen. Tim Scott’s stance on the hot-button issue. Scott, who was doing a little dance as a potential running mate after calling it quits on his own 2024 presidential aspirations, has been cozying up to a plan for a national 15-week limit on abortion, singing the praises of Gov. Ron DeSantis’s six-week abortion ban. Of course, Scott has been keeping the door cracked for exceptions in cases of rape, incest, and danger to the pregnant person’s life.
Abortion views are top of mind as Trump narrows VP pick https://t.co/PHElj8Bpl2
— ?? The Briefing Room ?? ?? (@Briefing__Room) March 13, 2024
But why all the fuss about abortion? Well, Trump sees it as a thorny path for the Democrats and a soft spot for Republicans. He’s on the hunt for a sidekick who won’t go off the deep end with hard-line abortion views. Someone with a more wishy-washy stance, you might say.
Speaking with a source who has a good sense of Trump’s brainwaves, NBC News learned that the former president is steering clear of anyone who’s pushing for a six-week abortion ban or playing coy about exceptions. It’s all part of Trump’s game plan to land himself a VP who won’t blow up in his face over the touchy issue.
Now, who is Trump looking at for his right-hand person? Well, the ladies aren’t off the hook. Gov. Kristi Noem from South Dakota is getting a nod, even though her state has slammed the door shut on abortion, save for cases where the patient’s life is on the line. But she’s not one to mince words, stating that while she’s team pro-life, she’s also a mom and grandma who wants to lend a hand to struggling families. Noem is all about having the heart-to-heart on this whole abortion thing, asserting that the real battleground is in the everyday struggles of American families, not just in the abortion debate.
As for the Trump campaign’s take on the whole shebang, your guess is as good as ours, folks. The Washington Examiner tried to get the scoop, but it looks like the radio silence from Team Trump speaks louder than words.
