The Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) was held this week. With no drama about the attendees' favorite for the Republican presidential nomination, the intrigue centered on whom the activists favored for vice president.
Donald Trump won the presidential straw poll 95-5 over Nikki Haley. But the straw poll of attendees for vice president was far more interesting.
Finishing in a tie for first were South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem of South Dakota and the entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy with 15% each. Both politicians had been prominently mentioned for Trump's second spot both before and during the CPAC conference.
Finishing a surprising third was former Hawaii Rep.Tulsi Gabbard who quit the Democratic Party in disgust; she got 9% of the vote. The size of that vote could mean that Gabbard had a lobbying presence at CPAC and a plan to make a splash with the straw poll.
Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) received 7 percent, Arizona Senate candidate Kari Lake received 6 percent, and former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders each got 5 percent.
The remaining candidates receiving votes included Tucker Carlson, Senator J.D. Vance, Democrat Robert F. Kennedy, and Nikki Haley. All received less than 5% of the vote.
Gabbard is easily the most intriguing candidate and appears to be making a serious play for the GOP second spot. In her CPAC speech, she defended Donald Trump and skewered the "political persecution" of the Republican.
"Today we see the Democrat elite leaders say, with great concern in their voice, that if the American people elect Donald Trump again, they warn us, he will destroy our democracy,” said Gabbard, 42, in a speech that sounded a lot like an audition for the vice-presidency.
“They say he will be the dictator-in-chief, that if he’s elected it will be the last election this country sees. It’s laughable. This is so crazy, it’s laughable. They’re justifying their actions by telling themselves that they need to destroy our democracy in order to save it. It’s lunacy and it’s the mindset and mentality of dictators. They are waging a multi-front battle and they will stop at nothing until they’re successful.”
Gabbard endorsed Vermont's Socialist Senator Bernie Sanders in 2016, turning her back on Hillary Clinton, calling her the “embodiment of corruption, and personification of the rot that has sickened the Democratic party for so long.”
She briefly ran for president in 2020 as a Democrat but was considered far too rational and thoughtful to be a serious candidate.
What should Republicans — especially MAGA Republicans — make of Gabbard? She's certainly saying everything that Trump wants to hear.
“I’ve had the chance to meet with him and speak with him at length, and I’ve seen firsthand his heartfelt interactions with friends of mine, veterans, and I’ve seen how he has touched their hearts and moved them to tears as he expressed his appreciation for their service and their sacrifice. No cameras, no crowds. Just that heartfelt conveyance of appreciation.”
Choosing Gabbard would be a gamble, and Trump doesn't have to gamble to win in 2024. But there's more to choosing a political partner than compatibility. Tulsi Gabbard has shown herself to be an independent thinker and a powerful advocate.
Is that really what Trump wants in a VP?
Join the conversation as a VIP Member