On the same day that Donald Trump’s biggest rival for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination formally announced his candidacy, a political forecaster with a reputation for accuracy predicted who the former president’s running mate will be if he obtains the nomination.

Richard Hanania believes that South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, who entered the campaign earlier this week, will ultimately become Trump’s choice.

He believes that the selection of Scott, a Republican of African descent who enjoys significant support in conservative circles, could be a significant strategic move.

“Trump is going to be the nominee, and I predict he picks Tim Scott as his running mate. Everyone loves an inoffensive black conservative, especially swing voters. Democrats will have to walk on eggshells in critiquing him. Trump-Scott ticket will be very tough to beat,” Hanania, president of the Center for the Study of Partisanship and Ideology, tweeted on Wednesday.

He added: “Many conservatives have a belief that ‘Democrats are omnipotent and can do whatever they want, they create their own reality and there’s nothing anyone can do about it.’ No, they sometimes get put in tough situations. Stop treating them like god.”

Upon Scott’s announcement of his candidacy, Trump wished him success.

“Good luck to Senator Tim Scott in entering the Republican Presidential Primary Race,” he wrote on Truth Social. “It is rapidly loading up with lots of people, and Tim is a big step up from Ron DeSanctimonious, who is totally unelectable. I got Opportunity Zones done with Tim, a big deal that has been highly successful. Good luck Tim!”

Several previous reports indicate, however, that Trump is truly in favor of choosing a female running mate.

The website 1945 was the most recent to report on Trump’s rumored preferences, stating that the former president is likely to “stun the world” with his 2024 VP pick and listing three women believed to be under consideration: Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Arizona Republican Kari Lake, and South Dakota Republican Gov. Kristi Noem.

On Lake, the report states: “Lake certainly looked ascendant last fall when she was competing for Arizona’s governorship. She enjoyed Trump’s endorsement, and she enjoyed favorable coverage in conservative media. It’s not hard to understand why. Lake is a unique creature, spewing the hard right rhetoric that MAGA Nation finds so endearing while doing so with the glitz and polish of a seasoned TV reporter. She was delivering Trump’s message – but she was doing so without the spray tan and the guttural accent and the lack of eloquence. Rather, Lake delivered Trump’s message all pretty-like.”

More on this story via Conservative Brief:

On Greene, the report said: “Trump loves her and she loves Trump. And impressively, MTG seems to be pivoting into a position of more mainstream acceptance with the GOP (as demonstrated through her support of Kevin McCarthy for speaker). The version of MTG that can appeal to both MAGA and the mainstream is a concerning premise, and someone that Trump has his eye on as a prospective running mate with appeal in the newly-in-play Georgia.” CONTINUE READING…