According to a straw poll conducted at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), Indian-origin biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem emerged as the top contenders for Donald Trump's prospective running mate in the 2024 US presidential elections, with Tulsi Gabbard, the inaugural Hindu member of Congress, claiming the third spot.
Both Ramaswamy and Noem garnered 15% of the votes each, placing them at the pinnacle of the rankings, as reported by the New York Times.
Governor Noem ascended to the role of South Dakota's first female governor after her victory in the 2018 election, buoyed by Trump's endorsement. She garnered national attention amid the Covid-19 pandemic due to her steadfast stance against imposing statewide mandates for mask-wearing and vaccinations.
Meanwhile, Ramaswamy, aged 38 and born to Indian immigrant parents in Cincinnati, pursued the Republican presidential nomination earlier this year. However, he withdrew from the race after securing the fourth position in the Iowa caucuses, subsequently throwing his support behind Trump.
In a significant triumph, former President Trump clinched a resounding victory over his rival, Nikki Haley, in the South Carolina Republican primary, further solidifying his position as the frontrunner for the Republican nomination in the impending 2024 presidential race.
This triumph complements Trump's prior wins in key territories such as Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, and the US Virgin Islands.
Notably, the CPAC survey marked a departure from tradition by prioritizing the selection of a vice-presidential candidate over the presidential nominee. Trump, aged 77, overwhelmingly secured the presidential poll, outstripping Nikki Haley with an impressive margin of 94% to 5%.
The last instance wherein Trump did not secure the top position at CPAC occurred in 2016 when Senator Ted Cruz emerged as the primary choice.
In the context of the vice-presidential poll, former Democratic Representative Tulsi Gabbard followed Ramaswamy and Noem with 9% of the votes. Representatives Elise Stefanik and Tim Scott both garnered 8% of the vote.
Among senators, CPAC attendees favored Senator JD Vance of Ohio, albeit with a modest 2% of the votes, trailing behind figures such as Tucker Carlson from Fox News and Robert F Kennedy Jr, a scion of a Democratic family running for president as an Independent.
This potential nomination would mark Trump's inaugural presidential campaign sans former Vice President Mike Pence, with their relationship strained following Pence's refusal to overturn the results of the 2020 election, ultimately won by Democrat Joe Biden.
