So, is the GOP base done with Donald Trump? You know some anti-Trump Republican is going to seize on the 44 percent figure. That’s how many Republicans want a re-match between Trump and President Dementia in 2024. It’s not a majority, but it’s a sizeable portion of the base. And yet, 67 percent want Trump to remain a significant figure within the GOP for years. So, there’s nuance here. I also don’t think that one-third wants anything to do with Trump now or ever (via The Hill):
Nearly half of Republicans want former President Trump to run for office again in 2024, according to a survey by the Pew Research Center released Wednesday.
The survey, conducted Sept. 13-19, showed that 67 percent of the Republicans and Republican-leaning independents said "they would like to see Trump continue to be a major political figure for many years to come" and 44 percent would like to see him run for president again.
Twenty-two percent of those respondents would prefer to support a different candidate who held views that aligned with the beliefs of the former president.
About a third of Republicans, or 32 percent, said they would not like for Trump to maintain his status as a major political figure, according to the survey.
The publication added that the number of those who want Trump to remain a major figure in the party spiked 10 points immediately after the Capitol Hill riot on January 6. Yet, on its face, you could gather that a non-Trump candidate could have a shot at turning the page on the Trump moment within the GOP. I don’t think so. First, we all know that Trump supporters are hard to poll and will screw around with pollsters. The Trump coalition remains one of the most competitive and efficiently dispersed concerning political geography which can make any election interesting. They live in areas where elections are won. Period. Overall, it’s still way too early. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is waiting in the wings, but he’s young. He doesn’t need to run right now. Right now, DeSantis is preparing for his re-election as governor, but things can change. I wouldn’t want to get into a bloodbath with Trump in a primary fight. It could cause irreparable damage. There were many ‘future faces of the party’ that ran in 2016. Trump torched them all—and they’ve retreated into the caves afterward. If Trump wants to try to decrease his numbers with Republicans, he could tone down some of his press releases. I find them hilarious, and he should keep doing them. It’s why people want him around; he delivers uppercuts. Yet, it has made other GOP voters of a milder stripe and Independents queasy. It’s a double-edged sword.
Frankly, Biden is doing so bad and generating buyer’s remorse in the process. He’s aloof on everything and while Trump’s demeanor was unpolished—the man got results. Jobs were created. Regulations were cut. Unemployment was at its lowest across the board. If it weren’t for a Wuhan lab leak, Trump would still be president. Let’s see how this plays out.
I know Trump could sit out and enjoy a much-deserved retirement, but the role of kingmaker doesn’t translate when it comes to turnout usually. Now, DeSantis is a quality candidate, but we’ve seen that every time Trump isn’t on the ballot, the hardcore followers don’t show up. Will that change? All good questions with plenty of time on the clock to come up with a decision.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member