Donald Trump's Running Mate: The Four Most Likely Candidates

After Donald Trump cemented his place as the front-runner in the GOP primary with his clear win in the Iowa caucus, questions soon turned to whom the former president may pick as his 2024 running mate.

Trump has given no real indication, beyond offering small heaps of praise to certain people and ruling out any chance he would pick Mike Pence again after the pair's relationship fell apart in the wake of the January 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.

There have been suggestions that Trump might choose a female running mate to broaden the Republican ticket's appeal in 2024.

In the wake of the Iowa caucuses, betting website Oddschecker listed what they believe are the most likely names in the running to be Trump's choice of VP in 2024.

Below, Newsweek takes a look at the most likely names, according to Oddschecker, as well as discuss the likelihood of Trump choosing them as his next running mate. Trump's office has been contacted for comment via email.

Kristi Noem

The South Dakota governor has long been considered one of the top candidates to be Trump's pick.

According to the latest odds, Noem has a +375 (15/4) chance of becoming Trump's next running, with an implied probability of 21 percent.

Noem continually praises Trump on social media, and recently hosted a campaign rally for him in neighboring Iowa.

"She's clearly positioned herself as a national figure in Republican circles and one who is a Trump loyalist to boot," Jon Schaff, a political science professor at Northern State University in Aberdeen, South Dakota, told the South Dakota News Watch.

"Given Trump's history, the number of Republicans he can reasonably choose from is a little lower than normal because he's alienated or openly criticized many Republican officeholders. I would be surprised if Noem wasn't among the two or three finalists. From there, it's a bit of a crap shoot."

However, December polling for Newsweek conducted by Redfield and Wilton Strategies suggests that Noem does not have the support or name recognition among Trump supporters, with only 3 percent saying she was their preferred choice for his running mate.

Vivek Ramaswamy

Following Monday's Iowa caucuses, where Trump won with more than 50 percent of the vote, businessman Vivek Ramaswamy dropped out of the race and immediately endorsed the former president. Ramaswamy has long faced speculation that his White House bid was more him vying to be Trump's potential vice president in 2024, rather than a serious run for office.

According to Oddschecker, Ramaswamy's chances of becoming Trump's next running mate surged after the Iowa caucuses, rising from +740 (37/5), or an 11.9 percent probability to +650 (13/2), and now has a 13.3 percent implied probability.

However, Trump attacked Ramaswamy in a Truth Social post on January 13 as being "not MAGA" and accused his campaign of being "deceitful."

Prior to the Iowa caucuses, top Trump adviser Jason Miller also poured cold water on suggestions that Ramaswamy could be Trump's running mate, recently telling the New York Post: "Pretty safe to say it won't be Vivek."

Elise Stefanik

The New York congresswoman has, along with Noem, long been touted as a strong female choice for Trump's running mate because of her fierce loyalty to the former president, with Trump also frequently praising her.

Oddschecker currently has her +700 (7/1) to be Trump's next running mate but suggested that she actually has "better odds of becoming vice president over Ramaswamy, despite what oddsmakers are currently predicting."

A recent NBC report said Stefanik is on the list of candidates whom Trump wants as his next VP.

"If you're Trump, you want someone who's loyal above all else," a Republican campaign operative said. "Particularly because he sees Mike Pence as having made a fatal sin."

Ben Carson

Carson, whom Trump nominated as secretary of housing and urban development in 2017, comes in as fourth in Oddschecker's list.

As well as a potential female running mate, there has also been talk of Trump picking a person of color to broaden his appeal in 2024, with Carson's name being touted late last year.

However, the suggestions appeared to be more wild speculation, rather than any real indication from Trump.

Oddschecker is offering odds of +800 (8/1) on Carson being named Trump's next running mate.