Former Democratic Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard made news Friday when she revealed her openness to the idea of serving as Donald Trump's vice president should he win re-election to the Oval Office, as The Hill reports.

Gabbard's disclosure comes at a time when speculation is swirling about the current state of Trump's deliberation about who would be the best fit for the ticket as the November election draws nearer.

Gabbard steps forward

The former Democrat-turned-Independent made her declaration during an appearance on Jesse Watters Primetime when the topic of her potential future role in a Trump administration was broached.

As Breitbart notes, Watters was characteristically direct in his inquiry, saying, “Tulsi, you're being considered for a VP slot. Is that something you're open to?”

Gabbard was similarly straightforward in her reply, stating, “I would be open to that.”

“My mission is to serve our country. I want to be in a position to solve problems, Jesse, and we've got a lot of them to solve,” she added.

VP shortlist speculation grows

Curiosity about Trump's potential choice of running mate shows no sign of abating, and during a recent South Carolina town hall event with Fox News' Laura Ingraham, he gave some hints as to his thoughts on the current crop of contenders.

Ingraham presented Trump with a list of rumored candidates that included Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, Sen Tim Scott of South Carolina, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, Florida Rep. Byron Donalds, as well as Gabbard.

“Are they all on your short list?” Ingraham asked Trump.

The former president replied, “Honestly, all of those people are good. They're all good, they're all solid,” suggesting that they all have garnered his attention as possible running mates.

Another addition to the list

Amid the ongoing discussions about Trump's potential favorite, a new name emerged last week that the former president confirmed is also at the forefront of his mind, as the New York Post reported.

During an appearance on Fox News' Hannity following his visit to Eagle Pass, Texas, to put a spotlight on the worsening border crisis, Trump indicated that Texas Gov. Greg Abbott was also under consideration for the VP slot.

Commenting on the governor's continued efforts to stem the tide of illegal migration into his state, Trump said, “He's done a great job,” and when asked if Abbott was on the short list, added, “Yes, certainly. He would be somebody that I would very much consider.”

Though Trump has given no indication of when he might make his final pick, Republicans everywhere remain on the edge of their seats, ready to back the 2024 GOP ticket they hope will propel the former president back into the White House for another four years.