I’m serious. I’m going to go through the current 2024 GOP Presidential field, both declared and undeclared, give a critique, and ask you to point at any one of them that can actually win in 2024. Because I don’t see one. And there’s a reason why they can’t win. Their politics suck!
Let’s start with the current frontrunner, Traitor Tot. Plain and simple, Trump can’t win in 2024. They say that Familiarity breeds contempt. By this time, the entire country is so familiar with His Lowness that contempt doesn’t seen a strong enough word. He didn’t legitimately win in 2016. In 2018 his mere name association was enough to lead to a 40 seat blue tsunami in the House. In 2020 his own name was on the ballot, and he got spanked by more than double the number of popular votes he lost by in 2016. In 2022 he stuck his nose into every legislatively pie he could find, and the Democrats gained a seat in the Senate, and the GOP barely managed an unworkable majority in the House. trumps name, or even his influence is toxic on a ballot.
Now let’s look at the next most prominent already declared candidate for President in 2024, former South Carolina Governor and UN Ambassador under Trump, Nikki Haley. Haley is trying to run in her own lane, as the changing of the guard candidate to lead them out of the Trump debacle. And Haley should be ashamed of herself. She refuses to directly engage with or criticize Trump, and show me a candidate that doesn’t whack her most dangerous opponent over the head with a 2X4. But while she won’t engage with Trump, she’ll sure as hell engage with her undeclared opponent, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who is quasi running as Trump without the baggage, by blasting him for not taking his Don’t Say Gay ban far enough. What a feckless twit.
As much as it pains me to have to do it, we have to spend a moment or two on professional doormat and crash-test-dummy Mike Pence. Pence isn’t formally running yet, but he’s been visiting early GOP primary states and making moo-moo noises about running. All you need to know about Pence is that he appeared before what should have been a home town crowd in Indianapolis at the national NRA convention, and almost got booed off of the stage. Go home and play with Marlon Bundo, pal.
There’s another already declared GOP candidate for 2024, former Governor Asa Hutchinson. Yeah, I know, Asa Who? After popping out of his hidey-hole to officially announce his candidacy, he shut the lid and hasn’t reappeared since. I’m sorry, but I’m too apathetic about this loser to bother going to Google to find out what state he mismanaged for eight years. I think it was Arkansas.
Which brings us to the last so far undeclared candidate, Governor Ron Pissantis of Florida. I have already spent considerable time chronicling Puny Ron’s qualifications and shortcomings in running for President, and I don’t feel no inclination to regurgitate it again here.
That’s the basic roster. And to be honest, I have never seen a more motley crew lined up to be the frontrunning competitors for their national party in a presidential election in my life. And that doesn’t even include the bottom feeders like Cancun Teddy Cruz, Former SS Mike Pimpeo, and insurrectionist Josh Hawley, who all bowed out because they couldn’t even pass the floor for this ragtag band of losers.
But here’s why not a single man-jackin’ one of them can win in 2024. And it isn’t just their personal decadence, and their lack of a cohesive platform or agenda to present to the voters. No, these ballot mice are riding the Ship of the Damned because they are shackled by the ideology of their dying party.
As we speak, as I pointed out, the national NRA convention is underway in Indianapolis, Indiana. And every morally bankrupt 2024 candidate has appeared in front of the NRA, either in person or on video, to fawningly declare their oath of fealty to the Merchants of Death.
At a time when a mass shooting in Nashville, Tennessee led to mass walkouts in Nashville schools, with the students marching to the estate legislature, often with their parents to demand gun reform and stop the carnage. Which led to the overtly and for the GOP embarrassing spectacle of the GOP dominated House expelling two young, loud Democratic activists, only to have them reinstated the next week by their districts in unanimous votes.
And now let’s look at the insane decision rom a purely ideological hack judge in Texas to take the unprecedented step of overturning the FDA’s approval of an abortion pill that has been certified for more than 20 years, and in fact has been clinically proven to be safer than Tylenol, Viagra and Robitussin.
The ruling was so atrocious that in a recent poll, even 51% of Republican voters thought that the ruling wasn’t legitimate, but was politically motivated. Can you hear me now? Even GOP voters think this pompous bible thumping moron stepped over the judicial line.
Look my friends, there are two things we can be absolutely sure of going forward. Sadly there will be more mass shootings, tragically including school shootings, and there will be more and more restrictive reproductive freedom rights court challenges going forward. The GOP itself can’t control it, because outside activist groups are filing the suits and calling the shots now.
There are going to be two overriding issues in the 2024 campaign, and they are going to be reproductive rights and gun control. And the GOP is already firmly on the wrong side of both of them. Recent polls show that 71% of Americans, including a 58% majority of Republicans support universal background checks. And GOP legislators are hell-bent-for-leather to relax every gun restriction they can find. While their constituents and children die.
Likewise, a recent poll showed that a 2/3 majority of Americans, including Republicans support abortion on demand in some or most cases. And yet in both GOP dominated state legislatures, as well as private activist groups nibbling at the edges, the GOP is hell bent to ban abortion in the United States.
Even undeclared presidential wannabee, South Carolina Senator Tim Scott let himself get sucked into the quagmire. In an interview with NBC News Ali Vitali, Scott said that if he was President, he would sign the most restrictive abortion bill that a GOP dominated congress sent to his desk. When Vitali pressed him on the 6 week ban Scott refused to play semantics, bit went on to say that if a 6 week ban was the best congress could do, then he’s sign it.
How many times do I have to type this?! The upcoming juggernaut of politics is the 18-24 year old bracket. And they’re motivated in a way that none of their predecessors were. And what they want is bodily autonomy, and the right to walk into a classroom, or a mall, or a bar, or a theater without being f*cking shot dead.
And the GOP is in lockstep with a corrupt, crumbling gun rights lobby, and a bunch of far right whackos touting the right-to-life, even though their far right Evangelical base has already declared victory and gone home, leaving the GOP behind. And yet every single 2024 GOP candidate is beholden to those two dead horses, because it’s the orthodoxy. And they can’t win with it. There’s my challenge folks. Find me one 2024 GOP candidate that can win going into that kind of a meatgrinder. The comments section is open and waiting.
There isn’t one now, and there will not be one either. They’ve painted themselves into a corner.
Beautifully put…T$hat’s why I posted it…Their slavish devotion to abortion and guns will kill any one of them in a general election…
About half the people who say they’re running are in the category of “who?”
(So are some of the Dem candidates or theoretical candidates. Anyone heard from Williamson in the last 6 weeks?)
I have previously written that Kennedy and Williamson runnimng against
biden is like a couple of French poodles chasing a monster trucl. He’s unopposed…
Poodles have more guts and courage than any Republican crawling on the surface of this planet. Anyone driving a monster truck is probably a brain dead Republican and he would probably open the truck door to try and kick the brave dogs and then fall out. They would probably take one good bite and then puke. Then Republicans would probably say the MAGAt Man won because the poor dogs got sick.
The rethug party is at war with itself right now. Example 1: They were all for boycotting BudLite after one digital ad w/ a trans person in it. Two days later, they are backpedalling as fast as they can because Anheuser Busch is the biggest donor to the NRCC. Example 2: Texas Gov Abbott has vowed to pardon a convicted murderer, before he is even sentenced. The jury (it’s Texas, so chances are there were some republicans on it) listened to all of the evidence and rendered their guilty verdict. Gov Abbott listened to Tucker Carlson and responded like a good little cultist, without any investigation, just took Tuck’s word.
There are no republicans who might have a chance at a general election victory that could win the primary. The trombies, who make up a large portion of the base of the party, are quadrupling down on losing elections.
Abbott may get bailed out by the parole board who may quietly not send that pardon through. i am sure Abbott is regretting letting Carlson bait him into offering a pardon after the guys social media came out. But of course it does play to the base in that it appeals to the group that reveres rittenhouse and worships babbit. I have posted here a couple of times. It is still early days, Abbott has plenty of time to let others falter against trump and he can jump in late and cast himself as a ‘reasonable’ alternative.
If the 30″ tall, mentally ill cripple pardons the murderer, it will be up to the doj to prosecute both punks for conspiracy to defraud the murder victim of his civil rights.
Then it will be time for the mentally ill cripple to meet “qualified immunity ” first hand.
While I agree with your assessment of the “list” (some list!) and their chances I think the question is too limited. We saw Pompous A$$ just drop out. He never had a chance even without the specter of Trump covering everything in orange hued farts. If I’m not mistaken NH Gov. Chris Sununu has taken a hard pass on running but he’d have had no more chance than anyone named so far. Larry Hogan, former MD Gov. might have been interesting but he’d never had gotten the nomination so he also gave a hard NO to 2024. But that leaves what I find to be the interesting question which is who hasn’t been on the radar, but might, just might be sitting back and waiting to see if the GOP implodes before the year is out, or even during the primaries leading to a brokered convention.
So, in that spirit I’m going to toss out two names. John Kasich and Brian Kemp. I’ve said before that while Kasich has said he’d past thinking about being President he’s in good health, sharp of mind and given Biden’s age he has to be thinking “maybe…” He’s already well poised to be an elder statesman in the GOP to help them pick up the pieces of Trumpty Dumpty falling off the wall and shattering. He’s very, VERY extreme right in his views but what I fear about him is his ability to campaign. He comes across oh so reasonable, and sane and would neutralize Biden’s greatest advantage. IF the GOP (and that’s a big if because they are so full of themselves right now) realizes how out of step they are on guns and abortion AND gets the proverbial memo to tone down the rhetoric we have a problem. Because when they look at Kasich’s resume, but more importantly for conservatives his positions which are HARD-CORE right wing they will sure as hell vote for him!
Kemp is interesting IF he can get the nomination. Again, that’s assuming the GOP has enough MAGA types accept that it ain’t going to be Trump, and that while they might hate doing so they have to pick someone they mostly agree with and who they think can take on Biden and score some of the Independent vote. Kemp’s problem is that he’s danced along th edge of the razor blade since 2020 and the mess with Trump created in GA. If Trump had hitched up his pants like a big boy and let it go instead of trying to pressure Kemp and others to help him out Kemp would be in a better position. But Kemp as I said has danced on that razor blade of trying to maintain appearances of playing things “straight” (appearances mind you) and you can’t do that without suffering some cuts. Sometimes deep ones and MAGA goobers aren’t happy with Kemp’s unwillingness to “go to the mattresses” both privately and PUBLICLY for Trump. However, those are wounds that can maybe, possibly be treated and played properly give Kemp some traction with Independent voters. And though he’s as extreme as other Republicans on damned near everything he hasn’t been flouting it. I don’t know how well he’d play campaigning on a national level, he doesn’t seem particularly warm but he’s not a cold fish either.
So that’s my more than two cents. Keep an eye out for people that could do the job if they were to wind up in the WH and might mount a viable challenge against Biden. Assuming the GOP would nominate them. There might be others but these are the two I think we should start keeping an eye on.
Kasich just signed on as an MSNBC contributor, so I don’t think he’ll throw his hat in the ring again. He came in 3rd in 2016, behind Ted Cruz, so I don’t see any possibility of some groundswell of support for him. Kemp is interesting, in that he was the only major candidate running in 2022 that TFG was trashing who cruised to an easy win. The only Georgian who has won the presidency is Carter, a democrat and one-termer, so no great history unlike Ohio who has produced quite a few, but none recently. The only pundit I’ve heard mention Kemp as a possibility is Mike Murphy, who hasn’t picked a winner in more than 20 yrs. Kemp has signed some legislation recently that would not play nationally, i.e. the new remove DAs easier law and all the voter suppression legislation prior to the 2022 election, not to mention the open carry law.
You make a good point about Kasich, but ethics aren’t exactly GOPer’s strong suit so I wouldn’t rule it out completely if a grassroots “draft Kasich” movement got started by GOPers who want to reclaim their Party from Trump & MAGA. One can make a good case that the fire (for a grueling campaign) isn’t in his belly anymore and I wouldn’t argue too hard to anyone making that case. Except to say Lincoln (who dealt with his share of rivals who wanted his job and were from his own Party) said that once the Presidential grub started to gnaw on a man it would forever dominate him. I guess I’m saying when it comes to Kasich getting into the mix never say never. I also think you made good points about Kemp. I see him and he reminds me of my now former Senator Burr – a look in so many pics with a demeanor suggesting he’s just enjoyed torturing puppies or kittens. Still, since you mentioned Carter we will be seeing a state funeral for him, regrettably and all eyes will be on Georgia. Kemp is exactly the kind of sleaze that has been planning on how to best use that time to make himself look good, “statesmanlike” if you will on the national stage. Build some “bipartisan” cred. I agree his brutal voter suppression efforts going back to the first challenge from Stacey Abrams (where even though he was his Party’s candidate for Gov. he refused to resign as SecState & therefore oversaw the actual election!) for Gov. and there’s that new legislation he signed. The question, and potential problem is whether he and the GA legislature follow through. If Willis puts out a “speaking indictment” that indicates a compelling case, and given how GA is almost purple (those Senate losses prove that) and voters rose up and overcame the second round of voter suppression stuff in the midterms for the most part they might decide to back off. Kemp can try (may work, maybe not) throw up his hands to MAGA Land like a Championship Wrestling ref. and it might work. I still don’t think he could win a general election BUT I wouldn’t discount the possibility.
There was a reason why fat a$$ chose Georgia to make his stand.
Aside from the rest of the red , russian blowing states, it’s the most corrupt.
Kasich. Or some other closeted NOT SEE (watch them claim these two words … hateful. Accurate… but too true we can’t use. Yet) conservative compassionate sweet sounding and talking reactionary. But they got tells. They wait and hide natural reaction to the abhorrence of… social security and Medicare & Medicaid . The evil. (Ffs). Quick question for admin: is it okay to use acronyms ?? WTH. Note1: on cell and don’t know how to space with paragraphs. Egads. Another tell, sound like they can talk the talk with “darkies” (well even off-white is barely good enough for their supporters… hint hint. They mean well. They have anxieties. They have jobs and careers & mortgages) but will sound so moderate until the big issues and use WEASEL words for their causes but damning praise against well , for one, Hilary (good record but she messed up with her emails and the “ever important “ government secrets…. ) and even Joe (done good but not up to bar and is slipping, you know Jill doesn’t stay home and care for him). Confederacy fought well and they fighting for their cause… a little off on messaging & hey should not talk about (1619) past and move to the original American…. Yeah can’t stomach their velvet glove (must be an iron glove allergy) and saccharine laced bleach. These fools don’t think we have great long term memory, google, other folks we read on web, natural bs radar & basic intelligence and integrity and decency. And actual love of country (Republic and Union. And now wide awake.
Spiro Agnew….
Or the crazy lady in charge of the Michigan republiCLOWN crime ring, karmanos….
Adolph Hitler….
That beloved dictator, punk and financier, putin.
The mentally ill Kim and family….
They operate just like fat ass and his mentally ill crime family…
When the American voters accept criminal presidents like Nixon, and allow him to criminalize tens of millions by a lie and walk on his crimes, the die has been cast time and again. Sure, they may not win the general election, but they have accomplished dumbing down America, and the acceptance of nazis in OUR government. Just the fact Trump isn’t in jail as I type, and will also AGAIN be the GOP frontrunner, tells me we have already failed as a democracy. The house gop overwhelmingly voted WITH the criminal traitors and THEY are still in power. The list is endless. We, as a nation, have been in bed with evil, and ACCEPTING it for so long, we now can’t even imagine truth and facts carrying the day in our courts. We’re like a vicious drunk that has been jacked up so long, we have no idea what true sobriety even is like. Hell, these asshats in congress got elected AFTER years of trump’s evil dynasty. I’d like to be optimistic, but, after watching yet another documentary on the Holocaust museum, I was struck by the swiftness the nazis turned a democratic ‘christian’ republic into a fascist killing machine, and how the German people were FINE WITH IT, until they started getting their asses kicked. A troubling observation was history changes but human nature does not. We are far far far from being out of this house fire. Ignorance and freedom do not coexist. One or the other has to go. I’m afraid the shallow, racist, consumer culture of America has decided to be permanently stupid.
An excellent narrative, Scott, cogent and articulate, which gives a very concise overview of a democracy in decline. I would only add that outrageous gerrymandering and vote suppression in many states have made any resistance to rightwing rampages damn near impossible. That’s how Fascists operate. Despite being on the wrong side of public opinion on most topics (eg abortion, guns), the MAGAt morons could well manipulate the ’24 election in their favor. If that occurs, then American democracy will truly have failed.
Just my opinion but I believe that the republiCLOWN crime ring was responsible for ALL of the assassinations in the 1960’s.
They like to make examples of people and I firmly believe that it’s time to make examples of them.
Funny how fascism reappeared as soon as the last of the greatest generation past….
As the son of a concentration camp liberator, I remember.
The GQP had no platform last time. Maybe this time they could run with NO candidate.
How about a Cheney/Cheney ticket ? LIZ! with her running mate DAD!
He’s still got the octane to drive from the backseat .
(*And anybody who disagrees can hit the trail with him for a little bit of small bird hunting .)
Please let’s not get overconfident. Of course their policies suck – they always have – but theirbase doesn’t vote for policies,it votes on fear an hate and owning the libs. If we make a mistake and nominate someone they can successfully demonize (unfairly and with lies, it goes without saying) we could lose to anyone. And especially because Electoral Copllege. Don’t ever think we couldn’t.
I hear that guy from Brazil is available.
Double LOL for Spiro Agnew!
At this point it’s for the Democrats to lose. And that could very easily happen. There have been times when the Democrats could put up Forest Gump but then they start infighting and acting like idiots and some moronic republican walks away with the prize.