South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem said Sunday she'd be "shocked" if former President Donald Trump asked her to join him on the Republican ticket for the 2024 presidential race.
While appearing on CNN, Noem said she'd support Trump in his pursuit for the 2024 presidency, but didn't envision herself as a candidate for vice president.
"I think that there's a lot of people out there who would like [to be] his running mate. I'm focused on getting reelected," said Noem, who'll face Democratic challenger Billie Sutton in South Dakota's gubernatorial general election this November.
Noem added, "I don't operate in that hypothetical, either. I would be shocked if he asked. And right now, I'm just so focused on South Dakota, we're doing great things and we've got a lot more to do the next four years."
Real Clear Politics has Noem listed as the gubernatorial favorite in South Dakota, by an aggregate of 2 percentage points.
When asked if Trump bore any responsibility for the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol rally, Noem declined to say but characterized the events as a "horrific day." Shortly after, she said, "I think we all need to examine this country and where we're going."
If former President Trump makes another run for the White House, it's largely speculated that former Vice President Mike Pence wouldn't be joining him on the Republican ticket; and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis seemingly wouldn't be the VP choice, either, since both he and Trump reside in the same state.
Either Trump or DeSantis are prohibitive favorites to capture the Republican National Committee's presidential nomination in 2024, but there are still whispers of Noem pursuing the RNC nomination in two years, as well.
In fact, Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill, who previously served in Congress with Noem, says, "it is clear [Noem] is running for president or vice president [in 2024]. She's scared to death of the base."
Kinzinger, who's one of only two Republicans on the House select committee for the Jan. 6, 2021 unrest at the Capitol, isn't seeking reelection this fall, told CNN that Noem is "something very different" from her congressional days.
"This is not the Kristi Noem I served with," Kinzinger said. "Kristi whom I served with was conservative, dedicated to the truth. I at the time would have thought [she] would have put her country above her political career at any moment."
According to OddsShark.com, a betting website for sports and politics, Trump (+100) and DeSantis (+275) are the clear leaders to secure the RNC presidential nomination two years from now.
The next wave of favorites: Former VP Pence (+1100), former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley (+1100), former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (+2500), conservative pundit Candace Owens (+3300), Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo. (+3300), Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah (+3300), and Noem (+3300).
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