We Don't Know Yet Who Will Be Trump's VP Pick - But We Know It Won't Be Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy

Since the GOP nomination for President seems to be a done deal - at least for now - there's been a lot of virtual ink spilled over who might be former President Trump's VP pick. We've seen a certain South Carolina Senator mentioned, a couple of governors, and at least one Congresswoman. But one name that apparently isn't on the list, despite him being a staunch Trump supporter, is Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy. Speaking as an Alaskan, that suits me.

In a Saturday appearance on Fox News, Trump said he’s about 25% sure about one unnamed individual.
“The person that I think I like is a very good person, pretty standard. I think people won’t be that surprised,” Trump said.
In a Thursday speech to a joint meeting of the Alaska and Juneau chambers of commerce, Dunleavy noted his early support for Trump’s election to a second term and the fact that he met the former president nine times during his term in office.
“I’ve made no secret about who I think should get reelected,” Dunleavy told the chambers.
Asked after his speech whether he would be interested in becoming the vice-presidential candidate, Dunleavy said, “I’m focused on Alaska.”
“I’m interested in finishing off my term in Alaska,” Dunleavy said.

Governor Dunleavy was just re-elected in 2022, winning his re-election bid handily against Democrat Les Gara (among others) in a year in which Alaska's at-large House seat was captured by a Democrat, thanks in part to Alaska's ill-advised ranked-choice voting scheme. Alaska sure seems to like Mike Dunleavy, and it would be good to see him finish out his second term.

His popularity isn't universal, though; in 2021, Governor Dunleavy was the target of a recall effort, mostly over budget cuts to state programs including basic education, welfare, and the University of Alaska. This was only the second gubernatorial recall petition in Alaska's history. The petition, in the second round, failed to gain enough signatures to trigger an election.

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Not to mention that the history of Alaska governors as Republican VP candidates has been less than successful.

Dunleavy has some good conservative credentials. In 2019, he abolished the state's Climate Change Task Force, deeming it a waste of state funds, which seems reasonable, since Alaska isn't exactly a huge producer of "greenhouse gases." Gov. Dunleavy has also traded barbs with none other than Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez over climate change (talk about engaging in a battle of wits with an unarmed opponent) and has been a thorn in the side of the Biden Administration, on issues ranging from climate change to energy extraction to mining.

Most recently, Gov. Dunleavy signed on to a multi-state resolution throwing Alaska's support behind Texas Governor Greg Abbott on Texas's ongoing standoff with the Biden Administration over the illegal immigration crisis on the southern border.

So, whoever Donald Trump picks for his VP - and may he choose wisely - we're OK with keeping Governor Dunleavy right where he is.