So “Moderate” Republicans Plan To Unite Behind a “Goldilocks” Candidate… Who?

So, so-called moderate (meaning non-MAGA but still hard, hard core conservatives) have dreams of pooling resources and picking a “Goldilocks” Candidate for 2024.  Is there some mythological creature that can take human form and fulfill their fantasies?  Let’s see what “Goldilocks” means in practical terms.  Well, someone who will do what Trump did with judicial appointments for starters.  Someone who can get yet another, even bigger skewed way the hell towards the already wealthy tax cut passed.  Someone who will continue to gut regulations only be smarter and have far more competent people and therefore get a lot more of that done than Trump did.  Someone who can actually get rid of cabinet level agencies like Education and Energy – for starters.  Hollow out State again.  And of course transform DOJ into a total Republican machine prosecuting Democrats and ONLY Democrats or Republicans who show the slightest doubt about GOP “righteousness.  Someone who, if not create a cabinet agency will appoint a “Czar” to force Christianity, not real Christianity as taught by Jesus in the bible but their Dominionist/Prosperity Gospel version of it and ban (and prosecute practitioners of any other religion if they don’t convert.  Get rid of the remaining Democratic appointees on SCOTUS by any (and I mean ANY) means necessary and Roberts too while they’re at it and give us more and worse than Trump appointed.

Oh, and of course talk up “Woke” as the end of all civilization and pass federal laws criminalizing whatever they think “Woke” is at any given moment it suits them to invoke that particular boogeyman.

All that without any Trumpian personality.  Someone who is reasonable looking and sounding.  Articulate.  Able to make voters think they are a “regular” person.

Well… That’s some list isn’t it?  But Trump only has about a third of the GOP locked up so getting the other 70% to rally behind someone else is a tantalizing prospect for sure.  But who?  Because if they can’t find this mythical candidate then Trump is in the driver’s seat.

Politizoom’s own Murfster has written some excellent pieces on how Trump can duplicate (in the primaries at least) what he did in 2016 – ride his rabid base of thirty-percent or so of MAGA goobers to the nomination as all the other candidate split the votes.  Thirty percent is more than enough for him to have a commanding delegate lead long before the GOP primaries are over.  Not to mention the RNC itself and many states are doing all they can to in effect hand Trump primary victories.  Will some of those states even hold primaries?  I don’t think it’s crazy to suggest some of them might decide to go old-school, back to the “smoke filled room days” only with Trumpkins threatening anyone not willing to award their state to Trump.

This of course assumes Trump can actually run.  Technically he could but it’s increasingly likely he’ll be a criminal defendant in several jurisdictions and justifiably scared enough to concern himself with staying out of jail.  And since this is Trump we’re talking about “legal fees” fundraising which he will of course pocket most of.  But let’s say he runs anyway, if only to again be President and try to bust yet another Constitutional norm by attempting to pardon himself.  I’ll bet no matter how many times it’s explained to him he doesn’t understand Presidential pardon powers don’t mean jack at the state level!

Whether he runs is another question for another time.

The issue I want to address is two of Murfster’s recent articles, one dealing with some interesting polling indicating there’s an actual opening for “moderate” Republicans to take on Trump.  The other is tonight’s article which addresses the issue of who might be that third candidate behind Trump and DeSantis that can do well enough in early primaries to gain enough delegates to force a convention floor fight.

Names like former MD Gov. Larry Hogan who has said he’s not running, and NH Gov. Chris Sununu who has been cagey on the topic have been mentioned.  Frankly I don’t think either has a chance.  Then we get to people like former SC Gov. Nikki Haley who also has no chance.  She’s a woman for one thing, and darker skinned due to her heritage for another.  Senator Tim Scott from her own home state is a black man and has a better chance. (Which is none)  He’s at least got serious charisma.  Mike Pence?  Even “Mother” knows he has less than zero chance.  DeSantis?  I predict he’ll be the 2024 version of Scott Walker once he declares.

There will be others who might give it a shot.  However, just like in 2016 Trump will dispatch the likes of Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio in a heartbeat.  If DeSantis really does try he might not even last till the first primary.  Even before the debates Trump will fire back at DeSantis’ digs about banging a pornstar with pics of ole Ron in those knee high white boots touring a disaster area with Biden.  That will be a “double-third-strike” – first for making nice with Biden if only to get badly needed federal help (it cost Christie if you recall him expressing gratitude to Obama after Hurricane Sandy) and Trump will cut DeSantis off at the knees, just above those white plastic boots.  I can already hear/read Trump sneering about “stripper boots” and that will be the end of DeSantis’ candidacy.

Pompeo?  He’s quietly lurking out there but Trump will take him out on the debate stage too.  In truly Trumpian fashion by projection.  Pompeo was still on active duty (albeit nearer to the end of his five year commitment as a West Point grad) when the first Gulf War took place.  Pompeo easily could have gotten himself duty in the Gulf, and with political ambitions been able to paint himself as a “warrior”, someone who led troops in combat.  Instead he maneuvered himself away from that conflict!  Trump, aka (thank you Senator Duckworth) “Cadet Bone Spurs” who famously went to great lengths to avoid service during Vietnam will paint POMPEO as a “chickenhawk.”  Crazy as it sounds it will work!  Not to mention Pompeo has got about as much charisma as a worn out mop, and even less gravitas. (Edited in) Oh, I forgot Josh Hawley!  He of the “defiant” fist in the air encouragement to Trump’s mob BEFORE the actual riot started, yet who instead of greeting them in the lobby to lead them instead ran away!  Oh how Trump will grind him into dust on that!

So again, just who is this “Goldilocks” candidate old-school Republicans dream of uniting behind?  Mitt Romney?  Not only no but HELL NO.  Age, having lost to Obama and voting to convict on impeachment make him a non-starter.  Tim Scott as I said is a black guy and while it’s one thing for GOPers to gulp and support a dickhead like Herschel Walker for Senate even a smart, capable black man as their Presidential nominee simply is a bridge that’s way too long for them to cross.  Not to mention anyone taking on Trump will have to punch back and unfair as it is, no matter how truthfully and skillfully Scott would do so at Trump (and I for one think he could do both) he’ll get painted as an “angry black man.”

At this point I see only two possibilities, one who folks sort of know and one not many have paid much attention to.  First let’s talk John Kasich, former Governor of Ohio which is a crucial state.  He’s got hard-right conservative credentials up the wazoo.  And he’s always scared me as a potential GOP nominee because damn if he doesn’t campaign well in person AND come across reasonable as hell on TV.  Even when advocating awful things.  The sumbitch seems to have some innate ability to partially hypnotize people into thinking he really is a reasonable, regular and moderate guy!  He’ll turn 71 in May so there’s an age issue but he’d ben running against Biden so that would be negated quite a bit.  Especially if he suggests he’s only going to serve one term, and is running to “restore the traditional conservative Republican Party.”  Part of me thinks he’s hoping to get drafted.

The other guy is less well known but keep an eye out.  I’m talking about current VA Governor Glenn Youngkin.  Granted, he won against Terry McCauliffe who is unlikeable as hell, and who made a major gaffe late in the campaign that really hurt him in the northern VA exurbs.  But Youngkin skillfully threaded the Trumpian needle in keeping Trump at arm’s length AND the hell out of Virginia yet sucking up enough to get Trump’s support.  And for conservatives in VA he’s been if not a wet-dream then they got close to blowing their load.  His problem is lack of charisma which would hurt him becoming well-known on the national stage.  However, should these so-called moderate Republicans actually pool all their talent and work on his campaign and image the same “regular guy” (bullsh!t of course) routine he parlayed into the Virginia Governor’s mansion might be made into an asset in a national campaign.  So keep an eye out there.  For those who don’t know (I lived in VA almost twenty years) a VA Governor can’t run for a second consecutive term.  Anyone who thinks Youngkin hasn’t considered moving  up and into the WH is nuts.  And this might be his one and only shot.

Well, when it comes to mythical “Goldilocks” candidates, guys (yes, GUYS) who will carry out every draconian economic and social policy even MAGAs would love but have none of the Trump baggage, including and especially the in-your-face brash “eff anyone who isn’t die hard behind ME” attitude of Trump’s that’s what I’ve got.

Feel free to offer your own potential picks.  Personally, I don’t think such a candidate exists.  But i could be wrong which is why I’ve been thinking about it even before what Murfster posted tonight.