On Wednesday, Governor Ron DeSantis dismissed the idea of serving as Donald Trump’s running mate, just one day after the former President suggested that DeSantis was on his shortlist. On a private thank-you call to supporters, the Governor ruled out the possibility, saying, “I am not doing that.” DeSantis did tease that he was considering his options for the future, including a potential comeback bid for the White House in 2028.
The details of DeSantis’s call were published by the New York Post. According to the report, DeSantis also offered his opinion on who Trump should choose as his vice presidential candidate. “I know some people are really actively seeking it. It seems to me, just from watching kind of the body language and stuff, that you have a handful of folks who seem to be auditioning for it,” the Governor said.
“My criteria was, basically, I need someone who can do the job if it came to that, and I would have been the third-youngest president elected so chances are, actuarily, I would probably be in pretty good shape, but you never know what else can happen, it’s happened before. So you need someone who can just go in, day one, no problem, they can do the job.”
DeSantis said that had his campaign advanced to the GOP nomination, he would have been “partial” to choosing a governor as his running mate.
Subscribe to The Florida Jolt Newsletter!
During this Governor DeSantis Zoom call got to ask a question on his 2028 run and his future after Governor.
He said he's not ruling out 2028. He sounded like he is prepping for a 2028 run. Such a good answer.— SalukiRich (@RichSaluki) February 21, 2024
DeSantis was critical of Trump’s shortlist on the call and said the former President was making a “mistake.”
“I’m not sure that those are necessarily going to be the criteria that Donald Trump uses. I think he’s going to probably use different criteria,” DeSantis said. “I’ve heard that they are looking more at identity politics. I think that’s a mistake. I think you should just focus on who you think the best person for the job would be.”
On Tuesday, Trump appeared on a Fox News town hall with host Laura Ingraham, who rattled off a list of possible choices for the Vice Presidential slot. “One of them was, of course Vivek Ramaswamy; he’s made a big splash,” Ingraham said. “Ron DeSantis, who’s appearing today in South Carolina we just found out. Tim Scott, Byron Donalds, and a big presence here for Tulsi Gabbard.”
Ingraham then asked, “Are they all on your shortlist?” Trump replied, “They are.”
Join your fellow patriots and subscribe to our YouTube Channel.
BREAKING: Contenders on Trump's VP shortlist:
Ron DeSantis, Tim Scott, Vivek Ramaswamy, Byron Donalds, Kristi Noem, and Tulsi Gabbard.
Who's your pick? pic.twitter.com/SMQLvsNA3Q— Michael Grimm (@MichaelGrimmNY) February 21, 2024
DeSantis suspended his Presidential campaign in January, just days after placing second in the Iowa Caucuses. When asked by a supporter about whether he would try to mount another campaign in 2028, DeSantis did not rule out the possibility, saying, “We’re still in this election cycle, so it’s presumptuous to say this or that.”
DeSantis was first elected Florida Governor in 2018 and was re-elected by a landslide in 2022. With the Florida Constitution limiting candidates to two consecutive terms as Governor, he is expected to leave office in January 2027.
Other stories you may want to read:
- Top Dems Say They Might Not Certify a Trump Victory - October 11, 2024
- Biden Praises DeSantis Again, Undercuts ‘Selfish’ Kamala - October 10, 2024
- Vance Rips Harris-Biden for Aiding Illegals Over Hurricane Victims - October 9, 2024