One name that has often been included among the speculation about who former President Donald Trump might pick as his 2024 running mate and prospective vice president is Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC), a former critic turned outspoken supporter.
However, her chances of being named as Trump's VP choice were just summarily dismissed by former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), who suggested the South Carolina congresswoman would struggle to get re-elected in her home district, the Washington Examiner reported.
Of course, there may be ulterior motives behind McCarthy's trashing of Mace as a possible contender to be Trump's VP, as separate reports indicate that the ex-congressman from California has targeted the congresswoman for political reprisal after she supported the controversial effort to oust him from the speakership last year.
The Examiner reported that McCarthy was recently asked by reporters for his thoughts on two potential candidates to be former President Trump's running mate -- Rep. Mace and Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) -- and immediately quipped of the former, "I don’t even think Nancy Mace can win reelection."
"I don’t think she represents her district," he continued. "You watch how she’s failed for the low country. She flip-flops every single day. She doesn’t have a principle."
McCarthy added, "If you listen to her district, they have a real concern with her even being reelected."
The Examiner noted that the former speaker also referenced a recent Daily Beast report about how Mace's entire office of staffers has turned over in just a matter of months, ostensibly due to her being an "abusive" and "delusional" boss who would "micromanage" a "demoralizing" and "toxic" workplace, according to some of her unnamed former staffers.
The outlet also pointed out that, according to Politico, Mace is near the top of the list of House Republicans against whom McCarthy is seeking vengeance -- by way of recruiting and supporting primary challengers -- for voting to boot him from his position as speaker last year.
Rep. Mace's name has been bandied about as a possible contender to be former President Trump's VP pick since at least June of last year, according to one report, in large part due to her staunch support of him amid the cascade of criminal indictments that befell the former president throughout the spring and summer of 2023.
That news came as a bit of a surprise for some, given the prior animosity and critical opposition that both had expressed against the other in the past.
The report indicated that at least some members of Trump's inner circle have suggested that Mace might be a good fit as a running mate given her presumed capability to help Trump win South Carolina and a better share of suburban women voters, a demographic group that Trump has struggled with at times to build and maintain support.
Rep. Mace is far from alone as a possible contender to be former President Trump's VP pick, and multiple reports would seem to suggest that the other name mentioned by reporters to former Speaker McCarthy, Rep. Stefanik, is arguably at the top of the presumed short list of candidates.
Indeed, a recent CBS News report on the top six VP prospects listed Stefanik first, followed by Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, and former Housing Sec. Ben Carson.
Some of those same names were included on a recent rumored list put out by Vox -- including Noem, Scott, and Stefanik -- and they were joined by the addition of Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley.
