Who is the top choice for Trump’s running mate in a swing state poll?

Former President Donald Trump’s ideal running mate in a key Northeastern swing state might come as a surprise to many. According to a recent poll conducted by the University of New Hampshire Survey Center, former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii emerges as the top choice, despite not being affiliated with the Republican Party she left her Democratic roots behind two years after running for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination.

When voters who are not backing President Biden in New Hampshire were asked about their preference for Trump’s running mate, nearly a quarter (24%) named Gabbard as their favored candidate. This puts her seven points ahead of multimillionaire biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, who was among the unsuccessful candidates challenging Trump for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination.

Ramaswamy publicly endorsed Trump when he withdrew from the White House race back in January. Other former primary rivals such as Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis secured 13% and 9% support, respectively, in the poll. Scott has been a vocal supporter of Trump, while DeSantis endorsed the former president upon exiting the race.

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, a known Trump ally, was the preferred choice for 6% of respondents, while former U.N. ambassador and ex-South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley garnered 5% support. Haley, who was a contender for the nomination before dropping out, recently announced that she would vote for Trump over Biden in the upcoming elections.

Gabbard, a veteran of the Iraq War and an officer in the Hawaii National Guard, has a unique background as the first Samoan-American elected to Congress. Despite her roots in the progressive wing of the Democratic Party, she demonstrated her appeal to conservatives by endorsing Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders in the 2016 Democratic presidential race and initiating her own long-shot White House bid in 2020.

As a familiar face in New Hampshire, Gabbard’s frequent visits to the state during her previous presidential campaigns likely contributed to her popularity as Trump’s potential running mate in the recent poll. She continued to engage with New Hampshire constituents by joining retired Army Gen. Don Bolduc on the campaign trail during his 2022 Senate bid against Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan.

It remains to be seen whether Trump will consider Gabbard as his running mate, but her unexpected rise in popularity among New Hampshire voters showcases the evolving political landscape in the region.