I have been floating the idea of a Trump/Taylor Swift ticket, but the idea hasn't gotten much traction with my fellow conservatives. 

Swift turns 35 in December, so technically, she would be eligible. And she is blonde, which seems to be a definite plus in Trump's book. He likes to surround himself with attractive blondes, although Swift is perhaps too short for his tastes. 

Alas, it seems unlikely to happen, so it's time to look for a more suitable candidate. 

I am not a gambler because I suck at predicting things, but I am reliably informed by all those obnoxious commercials that plenty of Americans are successful at predicting things. Some people are even convinced they can guess the results of a coin toss at a football game. Predicting Trump's VP pick should be no problem for them. 

We at Hot Air have decided to put you all to the test, although there will be no money on the line, just pride. 

You can vote in our new HotAir/Townhall Veepstakes Reader Poll! We'll get the results, both overall and site-specific, as we wait for Trump to decide. Since that's likely to be closer to the convention, we should get a few polling cycles from this, and we'll keep you updated as we go along.

My hopes are on Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who is whip-smart, has executive experience, and impressed me with her rebuttal to Joe Biden's State of the Union address. Her one flaw is that Trump would call her "low energy" if she were a Democrat. She is calm, which isn't really on-brand for Trump. But he has worked with her before and seems to like her. 

Most Amazing clap back moments from Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders' LIVE response to Joe Biden's delusional State of the Union

pic.twitter.com/AliPlGtrsp

— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) February 8, 2023

Kristi Noem is another favorite in the betting pool. She distinguished herself during COVID and is as solid a conservative governor as you would want- although she has been weak on the culture war issues, which is also true of Trump. She is attractive, which makes a big difference to Trump (see his lawyers!), and her...personal issues...about which I will refrain from writing, wouldn't hurt her when she stands next to Trump. I think. The rules that apply to others don't apply to Trump. 

Tulsi Gabbard's name is out there, and the prospect of her being chosen VP is, shall we say, divisive. A former Democrat, she is making inroads with the GOP base, but voting for her would be a tough pill to swallow for more traditional Republicans. She, too, is attractive and is a charismatic Trump defender. That she isn't terribly conservative would have mattered in the past, but now...who knows if that matters to Republican voters anymore. 

Tulsi Gabbard Unloads on the Democratic Establishment and Defends Trump at CPAC

Will she be the VP pick?

“Our democracy is under attack. The perpetrators of this attack are those who, in the name of saving our democracy, are destroying it. I don’t use these words lightly. Every… pic.twitter.com/TQqro3EttN

— The Vigilant Fox 🦊 (@VigilantFox) February 23, 2024

Kim Reynolds of Iowa is another possibility, assuming that all bridges are not burned, given her vocal support of Ron DeSantis during the primary season. My instinct is that even if offered, she would refuse, probably hoping to be associated with a less toxic candidate than Trump. She is smart, savvy, and conservative but not very Trump-like in outlook. It's no shock she went DeSantis over Trump. 

Tim Scott's name is out there, and he has some appeal for various reasons. He is smart, southern, and Black, which might help Trump make more inroads into a voting bloc that is growing hostile to Biden but necessary for his reelection. Traditional conservatives like him a lot, and if he can help bring in a few more Black men, that would be welcome. 

Unlike his choices in 2016, Trump will have complete freedom to choose whomever he likes, whether the MAGA base likes him or her or not. MAGA is solidly glued to Trump and will trust whatever decision he makes, at least short of Bernie Sanders or Elizabeth Warren. Less Trump-friendly Republicans will either vote for him or not, and his VP pick will do nothing either way to change their minds. 

In 2016, Trump's choice of Mike Pence was calculated to calm skittish Republicans. This time around, Trump will likely let his inner compass guide him, for good or ill. He doesn't want to build a coalition with the Establishment Republicans; he plans to replace them wholesale. 

So let us know what you think in our HotAir/Townhall Veepstakes Reader Poll. 

And if you are not yet a VIP member, shame on you! You can improve your Karma score by signing up here and if you use the code 2024 you will get a whopping 50% off!