There's been a lot of talk about Donald Trump picking Nikki Haley as his vice president lately, and that hasn't exactly been a popular idea among most conservatives. To be fair, the speculation has been driven by the fact that the former president's campaign steadfastly refuses to rule it out while having no problem panning prospects like Vivek Ramaswamy. Something is afoot. 

But is there another? According to a new report, Trump is seriously considering Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) for the spot. Of note is that RedState's own Ward Clark called this recently. 

READ: Yet Another Trump VP Prediction - Elise Stefanik

Scoop: Donald Trump is seriously considering House GOP Conference chair @EliseStefanik as his VP. He's been mulling the idea privately with allies, raving about Stefanik's loyalty.

Our exclu on the veepstakes. w/@katiadoyl @scottwongDC https://t.co/HBcdhhRq7i

— Brian Schwartz (@schwartzbCNBC) January 17, 2024

“She’s a killer,” Trump said, according to the person at the event. 

Ever since then, Trump and a growing group of allies have started to look more closely at Stefanik as a running mate, according to eight people familiar with the matter, including people in Trump’s orbit, Stefanik fundraising bundlers and former Trump administration officials. 

(...)

“Stefanik is at the top,” said Steve Bannon, who was Trump’s chief strategist in the White House and the architect of his 2016 campaign strategy. 

“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.”

Trashing Republicans isn't what we do here at RedState. If there's a disagreement, and there are plenty of those to be had within the GOP, we handle it through analysis, not name-calling. I say that to say that Stefanik's possible issue isn't who she is as a person, but it's her record. What's on paper is what's on paper.

If someone doesn't want Haley to be vice president, would they really want Stefanik to fill the role? She's just as supportive of Ukraine (and has supported every aid package passed so far), and her voting record is even more liberal on social issues and spending. Stefanik's Liberty Score clocks in at an "F." Her Heritage score is 56 percent for this term (i.e. she's not a recently reformed conservative), with the average Republican representative rating being an 85. 

Then there's the question of what Stefanik brings to the ticket. She's in a state that will not be competitive in 2024 (any suggestion to the contrary, just like in 2020, is delusional). She isn't liked by the conservative base of the party, but because she's so heavily connected herself to Trump over the last several years, she doesn't appeal to Trump skeptics either. What extra voters is she bringing along? A vice president who adds nothing to a ticket electorally would be a very odd pick.

That's not to say Stefanik hasn't had her moments. The questioning about antisemitism that she levied in a recent hearing helped get two far-left university heads fired, including Harvard's Claudine Gay (who was ultimately finished off by a plagiarism scandal). She's also facing censure (which will never pass) from the Democrats over allegations she helped "support" the January 6th "insurrectionists." 

Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10) will today introduce a resolution to censure Congresswoman Elise Stefanik for conduct unbecoming of a member of Congress, including her consistent support of insurrectionists who attacked the United States Capitol on January 6^th 2021.

Making Rep. Dan Goldman (D-NY) cry is always a positive in my book. Is that enough, though? Most Republicans have their redeeming qualities, but as an overall package, making Stefanik vice president would be a controversial move that could do more to divide than unite.

Is this just a blip on the radar, or is Trump seriously considering this? Who knows. I'm guessing his opinion on who to pick changes by the hour, and before this is all done, there may be some more surprises.