The relationship between Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis was heated at times during the Republican primary season, before the Florida governor dropped out of the 2024 presidential election and threw his support behind the former president.
DeSantis remains a potential vice president candidate for Trump's 2024 election campaign.
What Happened: Trump has not selected a vice president to be his running mate for the 2024 election, but public comments from the former president saw DeSantis named as one of six potential candidates.
On Sunday, Trump and DeSantis held a meeting in Miami, which marked their first conversation since DeSantis dropped out of the race, according to CNN.
The meeting, which lasted several hours, was arranged by Trump's longtime friend Steve Witkoff according to the report. The meeting was requested by DeSantis according to The Washington Post.
DeSantis previously said he would help fundraise for Trump, which could be the reason for the meeting. Speculation could also grow that DeSantis could be eyeing a role as Trump's candidate for vice president.
The Florida governor previously said he did not want to be a vice president as he is "not a number two guy."
News of DeSantis and Trump meeting also comes as another Trump vice president candidate is facing backlash. South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem faced backlash after a new book revealed that she shot a family dog labeled as untrainable.
The new memoir "No Going Back: The Truth on What's Wrong With Politics and How We Move America Forward" included the decision to put the dog down, which led to backlash from both Republicans and Democrats.
"The fact is, South Dakota law states that dogs who attack and kill livestock can be put down. Given that Cricket had shown aggressive behavior toward people by biting them, I decided what I did," Noem said in a tweet discussing the backlash. "Whether running the ranch or in politics, I have never passed on my responsibilities to anyone else to handle. Even if it's hard and painful."
Related Link: Trump Vs. Biden: Former President Dominates Swing States, But Loses One For First Time In New 2024 Election Poll
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Among the hottest betting markets on Polymarket is one asking users to predict who will be the Republican vice president pick of Trump. Over $17 million has been bet on the market, which is up significantly from the $212,000 in wagers on the market when Benzinga reported in January on the subject.
The platform, which cashes out winning wagers at $1 offers several selections for Trump's potential vice president pick.
Here are the current top candidates and their implied betting odds, with odds from January in parentheses where applicable.
Tim Scott: 22% (12%)
Elise Stefanik: 8% (26%)
JD Vance: 6% (N/A)
Nikki Haley: 5% (11%)
Ben Carson: 5% (10%)
Marco Rubio: 5% (N/A)
Kristi Noem: 4% (19%)
Ron DeSantis: 3% (4%)
Vivek Ramaswamy: 2% (12%)
The latest betting odds showed Scott was the favorite to be named vice president. The senator was on the shortlist named by Trump in February along with DeSantis, Tulsi Gabbard, Ramaswamy, Bryon Donalds and Noem.
Stefanik and Noem were among the most bet on options for months, but both have dropped down the odds chart.
There are several other candidates listed with a 2% chance and also the options for "Other Man" and "Other Woman," which have odds of 13% and 12%, respectively. This could suggest that some are betting Trump will pick someone he has not previously put on a shortlist or has not gotten a ton of attention from the public yet.
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© 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
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