Will He Or Won’t He
Not all of these candidates will wind up running, of course, and probably no more than half will ever take the plunge. Many of the non-Trump candidates are more likely seeking the vice presidential slot.
All of these quasi-candidates will be affected by Trump, who remains the party’s most popular politician.
Also its most contentious.
A recent nationwide found that 60% of Republicans want Trump to run for president again and 40% of GOP members do not want him to run again.
The difference is stark among all potential voters only 28% of respondents want to see Trump make another run for president, while 71% do not want to see him make another campaign.
While Trump is probably the favorite for the Republican nomination right now, analysts said a lot can change before primary votes are cast in early 2024.
For one thing, Trump is under investigation by prosecutors in New York for various financial dealings and in Georgia over efforts to pressure state officials into changing election results.
Some of the Republicans who don’t want Trump to run again note that he lost the popular vote in two straight elections. Trump also lost the Electoral College to Biden in 2020, but many Republicans down the ballot out-polled him.
“My guess is that there are a bunch of people who want to vote Republican but simply won’t if Trump is the nominee,” Republican strategist Scott Jennings said.
Us 2022 Primaries: Trump Seeks To Boost Republican Candidates
Sarah Sanders, Mo Brooks, David Purdue and Marjorie Taylor Greene are among the Trump-backed candidates in Tuesdays primaries.
Former United States President Donald Trump has been seeking revenge ever since Georgia Governor Brian Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger refused his demands that they overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia.
That battle is coming to a head on Tuesday as voters in Georgia go to the polls to choose preferred Republican and Democratic candidates for the November general elections that will determine control of Congress. Other primary races to watch are happening in Alabama, Arkansas and Texas.
Should the Republicans gain a majority in either the House of Representatives or the Senate, it would be a blow to President Joe Biden, a Democrat, as they would almost certainly block his legislative agenda.
In Georgias governors race, Trump has backed former US Senator David Purdue against Kemp but Purdue has lagged in fundraising and opinion surveys. Kemp has drawn broad support from other Republicans and is favoured to win.
Meanwhile, Georgias top elections official Raffensperger is facing a challenge by Representative Jody Hice, a US congressman who has backed Trumps false claims of voter fraud in the 2020 election.
Georgia Voters Reject Trump
Yet ironically, the fact that 2024 is looking more competitive than expected may be to Trumps advantage. Trump remains the most popular politician in the party by a big margin and a majority of Republicans still approve of the direction in which he wants to take the party. He also remains a fundraising juggernaut. Assuming he runs in 2024, Trump will likely enter the race as the presumed nominee.
That means other candidates need to find ways to distinguish themselves from the former president. What do they offer in ideology, experience or personal style that Trump doesnt? The greater the number of candidates, the harder it is to stand out. Moreover, more competition will incentivize more aggressive infighting.
In 2016s crowded presidential Republican primary, Trumps competitors fought against one another mercilessly and helped to clear a lane for Trump. For a huge chunk of the primary season, they were afraid to criticize him directly because they noticed that he had a unique ability to tap into the party bases deepest and most reactionary instincts.
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Kemp Camp Hopeful Gop Will Unite Against Abrams
As Kemp backers started to celebrate, they expressed confidence – or at least hope – that the Georgia Republicans would come together in the fall to defeat Abrams.
Kemp backers said they weren’t sure if Trump would now endorse him, but they expect at least Perdue to work for the governor’s re-election.
No one will out-work Brian Kemp, let’s put it that way,” said Terry Rogers, 68, a political consultant from Clarksville, Ga.
The Uvalde, Texas school massacre put a damper on the festivities. Erick Erickson, the conservative radio talk show host, addressed the crowd and led them in prayer for the victims of the elementary school shooting. The Kemp supporters also observed a minute of silence.
– David Jackson
To Beat Trump Would Require A Candidate Who Could Unite A Coalition Of Never
Former President Donald Trump remains the favored candidate to win the Republican nomination in 2024 should he run, and hes confident its his if he wants it.
If I do run, I think that Ill do extremely well, Trump told Yahoo Finance in an interview earlier this month. Im not only looking at polls, Im looking at the enthusiasm.
Trump has come out ahead in recent polls of potential 2024 contenders, including a Politico-Morning Consult poll released Oct. 13 that found 47% of Republican voters would vote for Trump if the primary was held today. That put Trump far ahead of his nearest competitors, former Vice President Mike Pence, at 13%, and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, at 12%. Trump said hes not concerned about any potential challengers.
I think most people would drop out, I think would drop out, and if I faced him Id beat him like Id beat everyone else, frankly, Trump said.
Some polls this year have found a significant segment of Republican voters want someone else as their nominee in 2024, though. A poll earlier this year by Trumps 2020 pollster Fabrizio and Lee found about half of all Republicans would prefer a different nominee, while a Pew Research survey released earlier this month found 52% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents want someone new.
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Trump Endorses Republican To Run Against Rep Liz Cheney In Wyoming
Former President Donald Trump on Thursday endorsed Wyoming attorney Harriet Hageman in her expected primary challenge against Republican Rep. Liz Cheney.
I strongly endorse Republican House of Representatives Candidate Harriet Hageman from Wyoming who is running against warmonger and disloyal Republican, Liz Cheney, Trump said in a statement.
Harriet is a fourth-generation daughter of Wyoming, a very successful attorney, and has the support and respect of a truly great U.S. Senator, Wyomings own Cynthia Lummis. Harriet Hageman adores the Great State of Wyoming, is strong on Crime and Borders, powerfully supports the Second Amendment, loves our Military and our Vets, and will fight for Election Integrity and Energy Independence . Unlike RINO Liz Cheney, Harriet is all in for America First. Harriet has my Complete and Total Endorsement in replacing the Democrats number one provider of sound bites, Liz Cheney. Make America Great Again!
Trump has long opposed Cheney, one of a handful of Republicans to vote twice to impeach Trump, and Politico reports that backing Hageman will test his ability to get candidates into Congress.
The left-leaning political website also reported that as a final step before officially announcing her campaign later this week, Hageman resigned Tuesday as one of Wyomings members of the Republican National Committee.
Brian Kemp Says His Win Was ‘built From The Grassroots Up’
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp took the low key approach in his victory speech, saying little about Donald Trump and David Perdue while thanking his supporters for a big triumph over both of them.
“Team Kemp has always been built from the grassroots up,” Kemp said to cheering supporters who chanted “four more years” during a victory party at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta.
Kemp mentioned Perdue by name only once, thanking his challenger for the “nice phone call” he made to concede the primary and express support.
The governor did not mention Trump’s name at all.
Instead, Kemp spent most of his time attacking another politician: Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams, who will face Kemp in November after narrowly losing to him four years ago.
This time around, Kemp said Abrams is only interested in being governor so that she can run for president down the line.
“Georgia will never be on Stacey’s mind,” Kemp said.
David Jackson
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Former Us Ambassador To The United Nations Nikki Haley
Haley, 49, stands out in the potential pool of 2024 Republican candidates by her resume. She has experience as an executive as the former governor of South Carolina and foreign policy experience from her time as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.
Haley was a member of the Republican Partys 2010 tea party class. A former South Carolina state representative, her long shot gubernatorial campaign saw its fortunes improve after she was endorsed by Sarah Palin. Haley rocketed from fourth to first just days after the endorsement, and she went on to clinch the nomination and become her states first female and first Indian-American governor.
As governor, she signed a bill removing the Confederate flag from the state Capitol following the white supremacist attack at the Emanuel African Methodist Church in Charleston. She left office in 2017 to join the Trump administration as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, and Quinnipiac poll found she was at one point the most popular member of Trumps foreign policy team.
I think that shes done a pretty masterful job in filling out her resume, said Robert Oldendick, a professor and director of graduate studies at the University of South Carolinas department of political science.
Haley criticized Trump following the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol by his supporters, saying she was disgusted by his conduct. Oldendick said he thought her pretty pointed criticism of the president will potentially cause some problems.
Ken Paxton Wins Texas Attorney General Gop Primary Runoff
Embattled incumbent Ken Paxtonwon the Texas GOP attorney general primary runoff against Land Commissioner George P. Bush, a scion of the Bush family dynasty.
Paxton defeated Bush despite the legal controversies the attorney general is facing, which includechargesof securities fraud and a separate FBI investigation.
The attorney general consistently led Bush in the polls leading up to Tuesdays runoff.
Mabinty Quarshie
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The View From Washington
President Biden on Wednesday is expected to sign an executive order on policing, the Associated Press reported. The order would require federal law enforcement to review and revise policies on the use of force, and it would restrict the flow of surplus military equipment to local police. In addition, the order would encourage limitations on chokeholds and no-knock warrants by attaching strings to federal funding.
The White House is being nudged by Sen. Christopher S. Murphy to move on the stalled nomination of Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti to the India ambassadorship, Times writer Jennifer Haberkorn reported. Dakota Smith also reports that his parents have taken a step more typical of industries or governments: They hired a national lobbying firm to help clear the path to a vote. Garcettis nomination announced last July has stalled over concerns among Democratic senators over alleged sexual misconduct by Rick Jacobs, a former top Garcetti advisor, and what the mayor may have known about it. Garcetti has strongly denied knowing about Jacobs actions, and Jacobs has denied harassing anyone.
Sarah Huckabee Sanders Former Trump Wh Press Secretary Wins Arkansas Gubernatorial Primary
Sarah Huckabee Sanders, once Trumps White House press secretary, won the Republican primary in the Arkansas governors race.
Her father, former Gov. Mike Huckabee, previously held the role for a decade.
Sanders campaign has been somewhat unique she has intentionally taken aim at the radical left and placed her states issues in the context of the countrys issues.
As I travel around the state, I keep hearing this criticism, Oh, theres that Sarah Sanders, nationalizing the race, she once said. And my answer to those people is, You bet I am. Because if youre not paying attention to what is happening in this country, youre missing what is going on.
Sanders will face Democrat Chris Jones, who won the Democratic primary.
– Ella Lee, Associated Press
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Texas Gov Greg Abbott
Some Republicans have hopes for other GOP governors, including Greg Abbott of Texas, who has pushed conservative legislation on abortion and voting rights.
Abbott first faces re-election next year, including a Republican primary with at least two vocal conservative challengers. The governor does enjoy the endorsement of Trump himself.
Regarding the 2024 race, Abbott echoes Trump and many other Republican aspirants in saying he’ll have to wait and see, a message he has been delivering for more than a year.
You know, one thing that you know about me, I take one step at a time, Abbott told talk show host Mark Davis on KSKY-AM in Dallas a year ago. The first step is to win re-election and after that, Mark, well see what happens.
Pennsylvania Senate Primary Too Close To Call Between Oz Mccormick
As the Pennsylvania Republican Senate race tightens, David McCormick and Dr. Mehmet Oz both appeared to thank supporters at their respective election night parties but said their race would not be called Tuesday because of outstanding votes, errors on some mail-in ballots — and, experts note, a split electorate.
“We’re not going to have a resolution tonight, but we can see the path ahead,” said McCormick, the former hedge fund owner whose wife worked in the Trump administration. “We can see victory ahead, and that’s all because of you.”
Oz, speaking minutes after McCormick, thanked former President Donald Trump for his endorsement and then, Fox News host Sean Hannity for his behind-the-scenes advice.
“We’re not going to have a result tonight,” Oz told supporters. “When all the votes are tallied, I am confident we will win.”
Within the past couple of weeks, far-right conservative commentator Kathy Barnette, who marched at Trump’s rally on Jan. 6, saw a surge in support in the race. Though she trailed behind on election night, her presence in the race appeared to split votes among Trump’s MAGA base and away from Oz.
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Democrat Marcus Flowers To Face Off Against Georgia Rep Marjorie Taylor Greene
Georgia Democrat Marcus Flowers and right-wing firebrand Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., will go toe-to-toe this fall for the House seat representing Georgias 14th Congressional District.
Flowers has raised more than $8 million in his bid to unseat the polarizing Congresswoman, some of which came from out-of-state donors who just dont like Greene. Flowers faced a small business owner, Hollie McCormack, and a former Rome city commissioner, Wendy Davis, in the districts Democratic primary.
Hours before the Associated Press called the race in Flowers favor, he deemed himself the primary winner, writing on Twitter on November 8th, I will unseat Marjorie Taylor Greene.
– Ella Lee, Associated Press
