Tulsi Gabbard Tops List of Preferred Trump Running Mates in Key Swing State Poll

Former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii has emerged as the top choice for former President Donald Trump’s running mate among non-Biden supporters in New Hampshire, according to a new University of New Hampshire Survey Center poll.

 Former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard speaks during the Palmetto Family Council’s Vision 24 national conservative policy forum in North Charleston, South Carolina, on March 18, 2023. (Sam Wolfe/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Nearly a quarter (24%) of these voters she favoured Gabbard, who left the Democratic Party in 2022 to become an independent. Gabbard outpaced multimillionaire biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy by seven points. Ramaswamy, who endorsed Trump after dropping out of the 2024 GOP presidential nomination race in January, received 17% support.

 U.S. Representative Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii) Photo by Mike Segar/Reuters

Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, both former Trump primary rivals, garnered 13% and 9% support, respectively. Scott has frequently appeared with Trump on the campaign trail, whereas DeSantis, who endorsed Trump upon exiting the race, has not.

6% of respondents preferred South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, a known Trump ally. Former U.N. ambassador and South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley received 5% support. Haley, the last Trump rival to drop out of the nomination race, has stated she would vote for Trump over President Biden despite not officially endorsing him.

Other potential running mates mentioned in the poll received single-digit support.

Gabbard, a veteran of the Iraq War and an officer in the Hawaii National Guard, was the first Samoan-American elected to Congress. She ran for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination and endorsed Sen. Bernie Sanders in 2016. Since leaving the Democratic Party, she has garnered appeal among conservatives.

 U.S. Representative Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii) Photo by Mike Segar/Reuters

At a Fox News town hall in February, Trump indicated that Gabbard was among at least a half-dozen contenders on his shortlist for a running mate. Gabbard has praised Trump, stating earlier this year that she admires his resilience against the Washington establishment. She has also expressed openness to serving on a national ticket with Trump.

Gabbard’s familiarity with New Hampshire voters, stemming from her extensive campaigning in the state during her 2020 presidential bid and subsequent visits in 2022, may contribute to her topping the list of preferred Trump running mates in the new poll.