Republican Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) has become the new favorite in the race for President Donald Trump’s choice of running mate for the November election.
Scott is now leading in the betting odds for Trump’s VP pick after South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem recently blew her chances.
Noem’s scandalous confession about shooting a dog appears to have destroyed her image among the American people and knocked her out of the running.
The latest odds from the site PredictIt have Scott in the lead with roughly 22% chance.
Noem, long seen as a rising star in the GOP, has many writing her political obituary after she admitted to shooting a vicious dog in her upcoming memoir.
After Scott, the runner-up is popular America First Senator J.D. Vance (R-OH), with a 15% chance.
Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) is in third place with a 10% chance.
Noem now lags far behind with a 4% chance.
Vance, a fiery pro-Trump populist, is new to Congress.
Scott, meanwhile, is a veteran politician with strong ties to the Republican establishment.
The South Carolina senator briefly challenged Trump in last year’s Republican primary but has since become an outspoken supporter.
Some speculate that Scott, who is black, could help Trump peel away minority votes from Democrat President Joe Biden.
Scott’s supporters say he is a skilled communicator.
Trump has treated the VP horse race almost like a gameshow, meanwhile, leaving the country in suspense.
The presumptive Republican presidential nominee will host Scott and other rumored VP contenders at a fundraiser in Palm Beach this weekend, which will double as an informal audition.
Trump is known to value public persona and loyalty, but his campaign stresses that his criteria for choosing a running mate are known only to him.
His campaign dismissed a fresh report in Bloomberg that Trump is down to Scott, Vance, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum.
Trump adviser Brian Hughes said:
“Anyone claiming to know who or when President Trump will choose his VP is lying unless the person is named Donald J. Trump.”
A surprising report this week in Axios said Trump finds Doug Burgum’s low-key demeanor appealing, a quality he shares in common with the affable Scott.
While campaigning in Wisconsin this week, Trump said he would make a choice shortly before the Republican convention in July.
“I’ll be picking, but probably not too much before the convention, which I happen to be having in the great state of Wisconsin,” he said.
Should Trump choose Scott as his running mate, he would potentially be the first African-American vice president in U.S. history.
