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    Report: Trump’s VP Search Heats Up

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    1
    Gage Skidmore Flickr

    Who will be Donald Trump’s running mate?

    While the search is expected to take a few more months the former President has been in near-constant talks with his inner circle.

    Trump’s aides are vetting potential vice presidential candidates at Mar-a-Lago as the former president floats a list of names in private conversations.

    Politico has more:


    Susie Wiles, a top adviser to Trump, is leading a close-to-the-vest process of narrowing a list of around a dozen lawmakers and other Republican personalities under consideration, according to multiple people familiar with the process. The campaign has already hired an outside firm to vet candidates and prepare research documents. Former first lady Melania Trump, who influenced Trump’s decision to select Mike Pence in 2016, has been kept apprised. And Trump’s son Donald Trump Jr. said he speaks with his father frequently about who is in contention.

    “He’s going to draw this out ‘Apprentice’-style,” said one person close to the Trump campaign who was granted anonymity to speak freely.

    The former president has said his top priority is picking someone “who is going to be a good president … in case of emergency.”

    The names under consideration continue to be in flux, according to multiple people familiar with the list, who describe it as being in “pencil, not pen.” But it includes Sens. Scott of South Carolina, Vance of Ohio, Katie Britt of Alabama and Marco Rubio of Florida, as well as Govs. Noem of South Dakota, Sarah Huckabee Sanders of Arkansas and Doug Burgum of North Dakota. Donalds, the Florida representative, and Gabbard, the former Hawaii representative, among others, are also being considered or have been floated by Trump.

    During one private meeting several weeks ago in Palm Beach, Florida, he went down the list of possible running mates with visitors, including one member of Congress, offering commentary on each. He spoke highly of Stefanik and Gabbard, according to a person with knowledge of the conversation and granted anonymity to speak freely. And he was dismissive of Scott, suggesting the senator may not be up to the job of being president, if needed.

    “He’ll ask you about people,” Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), said in an interview.

    The senator cautioned that those names being promoted by Trump allies or political consultants should be treated skeptically. “All I can tell you is, if you’re hearing any names, it ain’t going to be them. It’s all propaganda.”

    Senior White House adviser Kellyanne Conway suggested Trump should choose someone who can help him win and govern.

    The VP is the most important decision, but he is widely focused on personnel all around,” she said.

    Former Trump Primary Rival Makes Decision On No Labels Bid

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    3
    Maryland GovPics, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

    Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie (R) is officially shutting the door on speculation he may mount a third-party challenge for the White House.

    Christie has been considering a possible third-party run for the White House as some suggested he run on a unity ticket put forward by No Labels. However, on Wednesday the Republican said he would be staying out of the 2024 race,

    “I appreciate the encouragement I’ve gotten to pursue a third-party candidacy,” Christie said in a statement, posted on X. “I believe we need a country that once again feels like everyone has a stake in what we’re doing and leadership that strives to bring people together, instead of using anger to divide us.”

    “While I believe this is a conversation that needs to be had with the American people, I also believe that if there is not a pathway to win and if my candidacy in any way, shape or form would help Donald Trump become president again, then it is not the way forward,” he added.

    Christie’s decision comes about a week after he said on “The Axe Files” podcast that he was not ruling out running on a potential No Labels ticket in November. He still expressed hesitancy toward the idea at the time saying that “there are a number of hurdles to get over before I would actually consider running as a third-party.”

    Christie, in a separate statement, said he was sad to hear of former Sen. Joe Lieberman’s (I-Conn.) death, which was announced on Wednesday. According to The Hill, Lieberman, the co-founder of No Labels, had previously floated Christie to run on the top of the organization’s ticket.

    “I last spoke to him on Monday and he was fully engaged in a conversation of how to overcome the toxic political environment in our country. His whole life was dedicated to putting country before party in all he did,” Christie said on X, formerly Twitter.

    Trump Press Sec. Claims Campaign Will Have ‘Soldiers’ Watching Polling Stations on Election Day

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    3
    President Donald J. Trump is presented with a 10th Combat Aviation Brigade challenge coin following an air assault and gun rain demonstration at Fort Drum, New York, on August 13. The demonstration was part of President Trump's visit to the 10th Mountain Division (LI) to sign the National Defense Authorization Act of 2019, which increases the Army's authorized active-duty end strength by 4,000 enabling us to field critical capabilities in support of the National Defense Strategy. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Thomas Scaggs) 180813-A-TZ475-010

    Is this a step too far?

    On Monday, former President Donald Trump’s press secretary told Kimberly Guilfoyle during an interview that Trump plans to deploy “soldiers” to monitor polling stations on election day in an effort to make sure “there are no irregularities” or “fraud.”

    Karoline Leavitt, who previously ran for Congress and lost, explained the plan during an appearance on The Kimberly Guilfoyle Show.

    Mediaite has more:

    We’re so excited about our recent merger with the Republican National Committee and the new leadership we have there in both Lara Trump and Michael Whatley. Our team is already working hand-in-hand with the staff at the RNC as one very lean and mean machine, as we like to call it, with one goal, and that goal is victory for Republicans up and down the ballot on November 5th.

    We have the team, now it’s time to deploy the troops on the ground. We have an amazing volunteer-led effort right now in all of the battleground states, in addition to our great paid staff who will be making direct voter contact every single hour of every day between now and November 5th to get out the vote. A large part of this is also educating voters on the laws within their state. If you live in an early voting state, we encourage you to get out and vote early, cast your ballot. You don’t know what could happen to you on election day.

    And then we’re also investing a lot of money into voter integrity efforts to ensure that every American knows their ballot will be cast and counted and matter, and we’re gonna play offense this time around. We’re not gonna play defense like we unfortunately did in 2020. We’re gonna have soldiers, poll watchers on the ground who are making sure that there are no irregularities and fraud like we saw in the last election cycle.

    Guilfoyle replied, “I love it. I cannot wait. It’s gonna be fantastic.”

    This is hardly the first time Trump has called for backup at the polls. During the 2020 election, the then-President encouraged supporters to stay vigilant and independently monitor polling stations for evidence of fraud.

    “I am encouraging my supporters to go into the polls and watch very carefully because that’s what has to happen,” said Trump at the time. “I am urging them to do it.”

    GOP Governor Speaks Out On ‘Costly’ Decision Not To Endorse Trump

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    9
    The White House from Washington, DC, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

    Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, who ran for the GOP presidential nomination this year, is speaking out on his decision not to endorse Donald Trump.

    “I get asked a lot if I believe Trump is a threat to our democracy,” he writes in a USA Today op-ed. “I am not good at predicting the future, but we can learn from history and we should take heed when politicians tell us what they are going to do.”

    Hutchinson says in the piece that he voted for Trump twice, but that insight gleaned from former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wy.) and the Department of Justice on the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol changed his mind.

    “In terms of history, we all witnessed the violent attack on our national Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, by those wishing to overturn the last election,” he writes. “This was not an act of patriots as Trump likes to say, but it was a real threat to democracy.”

    “With Donald Trump’s domination of the GOP primaries and the elimination of all primary opponents, including the party leadership and Republican elected officials are clicking their heels in obedience to the victor and presumptive nominee. I have not endorsed Donald Trump for president, and I will not do so,” he writes.

    But Hutchinson says he can’t support Biden’s policies either.

    “Another important point to make is that I also will not vote for President Joe Biden. Biden’s weak border policies, his poor economic record and his slow growth energy policy do not justify reelection.”

    Trump Officially Locks Up GOP Nomination

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    1
    Donald Trump via Gage Skidmore Flickr

    It’s finally official…

    On Tuesday evening, Donald Trump secured the GOP nomination after winning the GOP primary in Washington state.

    “It’s your favorite president speaking to you on a really great day of victory,” Trump said in a video posted to X, formerly known as Twitter, by his campaign. “One week ago, we had something called Super Tuesday and it was indeed super, because we won at numbers at nobody has ever seen before, records in virtually every state.”

    “And tonight, likewise, but this one got us over the top,” he continued. “The Republican National Committee has just declared us the official nominee.”

    After the race was called, Trump said in a post on Truth Social that “It is my great honor to be representing the Republican Party” on the top of the ticket in November.

    “Our Party is UNITED and STRONG, and fully understands that we are running against the Worst, Most Incompetent, Corrupt, and Destructive President in the History of the United States,” the former president wrote.

    “But fear not, we will not fail, we will take back our once great Country, put AMERICA FIRST, and MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN – GREATER THAN EVER BEFORE,” he added. “November 5th will go down as the most important day in the history of our Country! GOD BLESS AMERICA.”

    President Joe Biden also secured the Democrat nomination the same day, officially teeing up a rematch of the 2020 election.

    “Voters now have a choice to make about the future of this country,” Biden said.

    No Labels Votes To Go Forward With Independent Presidential Ticket

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    1

    The political group No Labels has voted to move forward with its plan to enter the 2024 presidential race.

    On Friday, hundreds of state delegates reportedly convened for a private meeting to approve the organization’s plan to push an independent ticket.

    The Hill reports:

    “Earlier today, I led a discussion with the 800 No Labels delegates from all 50 states. These citizen leaders have spent months discussing with one another the kind of leadership they want to see in the White House in 2024,” No Labels National Convention Chair Mike Rawlings wrote in a statement.

    “They voted near unanimously to continue our 2024 project and to move immediately to identify candidates to serve on the Unity presidential ticket. Every one of our delegates had their own explanation for wanting to move ahead,” he added.

    “Now that No Labels has received the go ahead from our delegates, we’ll be accelerating our candidate outreach and announcing the process for how candidates will be selected for the Unity Ticket on Thursday, March 14,” he added.

    No Labels leaders have asserted that voters are extremely dissatisfied with Biden and Trump, setting up a case for a third-party candidacy. 

    The group has indicated they are open to both Democrats and Republicans and would ideally serve as a “unity” option for dissatisfied voters.

    Nikki Haley Suspends Campaign

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    3
    The White House from Washington, DC, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

    Following Super Tuesday’s disappointing results for Nikki Haley, the former South Carolina Governor has suspended her campaign.

    “I am filled with the gratitude for the outpouring of support we’ve received from all across our great country,” Haley said. “But the time has now come just suspend my campaign.” 

    In brief remarks to a crowd of supporters, Haley did not endorse Trump but called on the presumptive 2024 Republican nominee to earn votes from those who did not back him in the Republican primary. 

    “It is now up to Donald Trump to earn the votes of those in our party and beyond it who did not support him,” Haley said. “And I hope he does that. At its best, politics is about bringing people into your cause, not turning them away.” 

    Trump kicked Haley on her way out of the primary in a post on Truth Social shortly after her remarks began. 

    “Nikki Haley got TROUNCED last night, in record setting fashion, despite the fact that Democrats, for reasons unknown, are allowed to vote in Vermont, and various other Republican Primaries. Much of her money came from Radical Left Democrats, as did many of her voters, almost 50%, according to the polls,” Trump wrote. 

    “At this point, I hope she stays in the ‘race’ and fights it out until the end! I’d like to thank my family, friends, and the Great Republican Party for helping me to produce, by far, the most successful Super Tuesday in HISTORY, and would further like to invite all of the Haley supporters to join the greatest movement in the history of our Nation. BIDEN IS THE ENEMY, HE IS DESTROYING OUR COUNTRY. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!” 

    Haley Defeats Trump In DC Republican Primary

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    3

    Former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley has secured her first victory in the Washington, D.C. Republican presidential primary contest

    Haley garnered 1,274 votes to former President Trump’s 676 with all precincts reporting, according to Decision Desk HQ.

    The win for the former United Nations ambassador breaks a streak of more than a half dozen victories for Trump to start out the GOP contests for the nomination. 

    Despite trailing behind former President Trump throughout the race Haley has pledged to remain in the race at least until Super Tuesday when more than a dozen states will vote.

    the win in the winner-take-all D.C. primary will give her all of its 19 delegates. Voting in the District took place across three days from Friday to Sunday. 

    Candidates need at least 1,215 delegates to mathematically clinch the Republican nomination. 

    Illinois Judge Removes Trump from Ballot

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    2
    Gavel via Wikimedia Commons Image

    Donald Trump has been removed from a third state’s ballot…

    On Wednesday, Cook County Circuit Judge Tracie Porter barred Trump from the Illinois ballot one month after the anti-Trump challenge was dismissed by the Illinois State Board of Elections. 

    According to court documents obtained by Fox News, the order urged the board to remove Trump or “cause any votes cast for him to be suppressed,” for violating section three of the 14th Amendment, or the “disqualification clause,” for engaging in insurrection.

    Porter’s ruling reverses last month’s decision by the Illinois Board of Elections to keep Trump’s name on the primary ballot after a group of Illinois voters accused the former president of engaging in insurrection. 

    However, the order is put on hold until Friday, in case of an appeal from Trump’s attorneys to the Illinois Appellate Court, First District or the Illinois Supreme Court. 

    A campaign spokesperson for Trump issued a statement to Reuters saying it “is an unconstitutional ruling that we will quickly appeal.”

    For the first time, the Supreme Court is considering the meaning and reach of Section 3 of the Constitution’s 14th Amendment, which bars former officeholders who “engaged in insurrection” from holding public office again.

    The 14th Amendment, Section 3 of the Constitution states, “No person shall… hold any office… under the United States… who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States… to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof.”

    Marianne Williamson Returns to Presidential Race

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
    -
    1
    Joe Biden via Gage Skidmore Flickr

    On Wednesday, long-shot candidate Marianne Williamson announced she is jumping back into the presidential race to challenge Joe Biden.

    Williamson made the announcement in a video statement on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. Williamson said she returned to the race because she feels President Biden is a vulnerable candidate to put up against former President Donald Trump.

    “As of today, I am unsuspending my campaign for the presidency of the United States,” Williamson said. “I had suspended it because I was losing the horse race. But something so much more important than the horse race is at stake here, and we must respond.”

    “Right now, we have a fascist standing at the door. Everybody’s all upset about it. Well, we should be upset about it. But we’re not going to defeat the fascist by–well, by what? What is President Biden offering?” she asked. “What is he saying beyond, ‘You know, the economy is doing really well.’?”

    “We’re still in this. Let’s do this. This is serious,” she added. “We need to say to the American people, ‘we see your pain,’ and we need to say to Donald Trump, ‘we see your B.S.’”

    Williamson originally suspended her campaign on Feb. 7, dropping out of the race without making an endorsement.

    This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.

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