Alabama Sen. Katie Britt has “national candidate” written all over her, ever since quietly joining the Senate just one year ago, and already quietly making waves on powerful committees.
I say quietly because you almost never see her name in the headlines.
Not because she lacks headline potential, but because she seems more engaged in the actual work of being a Senator.
I put her on this site for 2028, but she’s starting to pick up quiet buzz as a darkhorse VP pick for Donald Trump in 2024.
As WSFA 12 reports, political pundit Mark Halperin recently suggested her name, and fellow Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville recently told reporters she’d be a “good pick.”
And… she’s even done the “I’m not thinking about it” non-denial, denial that means she’s definitely open to the idea.
Yet she’s about as dark-horse as they come — she doesn’t even have a listed contract on the Predict It betting market (yet).
So what’s the case for Britt?
First, the going theory is that Trump is looking for a woman to balance the ticket in 2024, and hopefully swing that most important of swing demographics (suburban, college educated women) in his direction. (In particular, those around the Philadelphia suburbs, who could hold the key to the whole thing).
Consequently, 4 of the top 6 VP candidates on the betting market are female, including SC Gov. Kristi Noem (#1), Elise Stefanik (#2), Nikki Haley (#5) and Kari Lake (#6).
Trump recently name-dropped Noem as a contender, and Noem just announced she’s got a book coming out, conveniently in May.
She’s already expressed interest (repeatedly) in the position, has backed Trump tirelessly, and it’s not a stretch to say that nearly everything she does these days seems designed to win his favor.
To wit, in her book promo, she name drops Mitt Romney, the Cheneys, and the Bushes as the ones who “created the swamp.”
Hard to imagine a trifecta Trump hates more than that one. It’s Trump’s Personal Axis of Evil.
Noem has plenty of strengths, but some real weaknesses, as well.
First, Trump is a showman and loves pulling a surprise. It’s all part of the game. Noem has been the front-runner for a long-time and picking her wouldn’t be the midseason twist the TV guy lives for.
Second, there’s all the messy allegations regarding Noem and Trump’s guy, Corey Lewandowski. We won’t get into that here, except to say that this would be a controversy.
Third, and this might be a reach, but Noem does have some Sarah Palin-overtones.
And by that, I mean she governs a very small state, she was a beauty queen, and her education will almost certainly come under attack, no matter how unfairly (she completed her bachelor’s while in Congress).
She could make a wonderful candidate, but there’s (sadly) a really sexist narrative there that we just went through in 2008.
Fourth, if Trump wants to pick a woman to “soften” his message towards indie women, then Noem isn’t exactly the right messenger.
She not only signed a bill abolishing her state’s requirement to carry a concealed handgun, but she also tried to get a gun range built in her state that even South Dakota’s legislature said, “Nah, we’re not paying for it.”
Oh, and she claims her 2 year old grandchild has a shotgun and rifle. Joking or not, that’s not the thing centrist moms want to hear (or dads, for that matter).
She was also fiercely anti-mask and anti-vax, opposed gay marriage, and is as pro-life as they come.
In short — while she might be a woman, the Biden team can quite easily ask centrist women, “Is she really like you?”
In fact, the LA Times recently noted that Kamala Harris is starting to score points on the campaign trail with social issues. I’m sure she’d be delighted to go toe-to-toe with Noem over abortion and gay rights.
Meanwhile, Elise Stefanik, Kari Lake, and Nikki Haley all present their own set of problems as picks.
Lake, in particular, is so embroiled in perpetual drama that she’d run the risk of out-headlining Trump. And, despite her show-stopping hearing, Stefanik isn’t particularly charismatic (and besides, Trump is probably loving Biden’s struggles with Arab Americans in Michigan. Does he really want to pick as Veep the senator who had the highest profile “pro-Israel TV moment,” to date?).
Haley seems the likeliest in the aforementioned cohort.
First, we know Trump is quick to forgive if you give up and endorse him. In fact, he seems to love the element of humiliation and absolution.
Second, Haley came in second. Trump seems to respect the ones who come hardest at him, play the best, last the longest, eventually fall, and then endorse him. Don’t think Trump isn’t impressed by her. He is.
Third, Haley is everything Noem isn’t. She’s tested on the national stage, won’t brag about guns or get involved in culture wars, and Kamala Harris will have trouble picking her apart. In fact, Haley probably has the upper hand on that one.
Haley would be a more charismatic Mike Pence – someone to set Americans’ minds at ease a bit. And she’d be a great asset with centrist men and women who already really like her.
But what if Haley won’t kiss the ring?
Enter Alabama Senator Katie Britt.
Who is Katie Britt?
You can’t do better than by starting with this read from Jonathan Martin last year.
It paints a portrait of an extremely accomplished, engaging, and political (in the best sense of the word) figure, who talks with such earnest kindness and intellectual heft that Sen. John Cornyn said, “If she aspires to rise through elected leadership, I see a pretty clear path forward” with John Thune echoing, “Someday she’ll be running this place.”
Britt is as conservative as they come, yet according to Martin’s insiders, “not only well-liked by colleagues in both parties” but, in just a year, become “a sought-after inside player.”
I’d highly recommend reading the rest of Martin’s piece, but the person who emerges is someone who definitely sports very quiet national ambitions, loathes the politics of hate, is intrigued and animated by policy, terrific at politicking, and genuinely seems to appear genuine to everyone she meets.
If she has one flaw it’s the “loathes the politics of hate” part, but that might be a flaw for a front-ticket candidate. But as a Veep?
Put it this way – Trump has upended the traditional role of Good Cop Pres Nominee and Bad Cop “Attack Dog” nominee.
Trump is the attack dog. He doesn’t need another one. In fact, pick Noem, Stefanik, or Lake and that’s all you have. Two attack dogs.
Hence, one of the reasons why Pence was so appealing.
In a Trump-led ticket, Britt’s sunny persona and discomfort with the politics of hate are massive bonuses.
So what does Trump get in Britt?
A surprise pick (check), a woman (check), a perfect counterpoint to his angry disposition (check), a prominent intellectual counterpoint to his, you know, Trumpness (check), and he’ll get the joy of saying no to the ones who’ve been slavishly following him (Noem, Lake etc) and merrily say, “Actually, I picked Britt.”
Most of all, those “sorry, not you” phone calls to he wanna-be contenders means Trump still does what Trump wants (biggest check of all).
Don’t count Britt out.