OPINION:
The best pick for vice president on a GOP ticket in 2024 is a governor. Much of the attention about who former President Donald Trump might announce as his running mate when he becomes the Republican presidential nominee includes South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem. She is a popular figure among conservatives. She spoke well in a prime-time spot at the 2020 Republican National Convention and would be a solid pick for vice president.
Another name that should be on the shortlist is Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds. In 2022, the only two competitive states that delivered on the predicted red wave were Florida and Iowa. Thanks to Ms. Reynolds’ leadership, the entire Iowa delegation in Congress is Republican — for the first time since the 1950s. Both houses of the state Legislature are held by GOP majorities that have helped the governor pass and enact an aggressive conservative agenda.
Iowans have benefited from significant tax relief. In addition to previous tax cuts, Ms. Reynolds is pushing to move from nine tax brackets to a flat tax of 3.5%. Sizable surpluses over the past few years have opened the door to the largest tax cuts in state history and major reform of the tax code.
Ms. Reynolds continues to streamline state government in Iowa to make it easier to start and expand small businesses, maintain family farms and attract employers there. Economic growth has led to increases in revenue, which fuel the budget surpluses.
Students and families are also big winners in Iowa. Ms. Reynolds led the way on education reform. The state has universal school choice, meaning parents can choose the best place for their children to learn. She funded students instead of systems. She took on the teachers union bosses and won.
During the COVID-19 crackdowns, Ms. Reynolds was one of the most aggressive leaders in the nation and required schools to stay open after the initial closings. She signed laws requiring an in-person education option for students. She opposed mask mandates and signed laws prohibiting discrimination against people based on their vaccination status.
She also understood the importance of requiring schools to be open. Ms. Reynolds reopened the economy sooner than most in the nation. The union bosses were upset, but she stood with parents.
The governor of Iowa is a solid social conservative, too. She signed a heartbeat bill — barring most abortions once fetal cardiac activity is detected — into law, constitutional carry, and free speech protections on campus. She also signed a law banning boys who say they are girls from competing with girls in athletics.
She was a fierce defender of Donald Trump when he was president. She blocked a Democratic attorney general from suing the Trump administration, preventing the AG from stopping the benefits of the president’s reforms. Ms. Reynolds also campaigned repeatedly with Mr. Trump.
In the 2024 Republican primary cycle, Ms. Reynolds initially supported Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. He has exited the race, and she now supports Mr. Trump. To win in November, the former president will need plenty of supporters of other candidates to be the future president. Ms. Reynolds is a great pick. She is one of the best conservative governors in the nation. She has been elected twice with increasing support, and she has been the leader of the Republican governors.
On top of all of that, she can help him win. The race is a dead heat in the all-important neighboring state of Wisconsin. A running mate from the Midwest who is nice but firm would be a great addition to the national ticket. Ms. Reynolds could lay out a bold agenda and sell it to key swing voters in the battleground states.
In 2022, she was chosen to give the Republican response to President Biden’s State of the Union address. She did an outstanding job. Some pundits in Washington overlook her because she is “Midwest nice.” They do so at their own peril. I saw her fight for collective bargaining reforms years ago as Iowa lieutenant governor. I saw her leadership skills again when she pushed for universal school choice. She is pleasant, yet driven to do what is right.
Imagine watching her on the debate stage with Vice President Kamala Harris. It would certainly be an uneven battle, as Ms. Reynolds comes across to many as a friendly next-door neighbor who is fiercely intelligent.
Ms. Reynolds is tough. She led Iowa through the height of a global pandemic and tough economic times. She has traveled the world promoting America’s heartland. She is a proven reformer with outstanding results. Unlike the other ticket, voters would be certain that she could — if called to — serve as president of the United States.
This is why Donald Trump would be wise to ask Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds to serve as his running mate this fall. Trump-Reynolds 2024 has a nice ring to it.
• Scott Walker is president of Young America’s Foundation and served as the 45th governor of Wisconsin.
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