Ok, so the title pic is over the top. Still, it’s starting to feel like it’s going to be a huge GOP Presidential Primary field. So many candidates that instead of them appearing on a debate stage in some small auditorium like where so may televised Town Halls are held, but with the candidates filling up all the seats where an audience would be. With production assistants walking around handing microphones not to voters asking candidates questions but to the actual candidates. The panel would be facing away from the stage and however audience members they could cram into tiny, grade schooler sized seats! Every week the field grows. This week by two and perhaps three candidates.
It might mean nothing. However it might turn out to mean a great deal.
Earlier today I learned two more GOPers have been gnawed upon by what Lincoln called the Presidential Grub. What he meant that once one is inflicted with that particular species of insect it will forever dominate that person’s life. Even to a degree they ruin reputations and careers it took decades to build.
Look, every Presidential election we get people pop up that make virtually everyone say “Who”, or “What the hell are they thinking?” or both. And often rather less kind things. Use your imagination. Some run literally as a joke. I’m old enough to remember Laugh-In’s sad-sack Pat Paulson but there have been other examples. Some candidates are actually reasonably well known and by that I mean by other than political junkies. As in even if the average person doesn’t really know why they remember the name they at least have heard it and that the person is in politics.
Most of these know they don’t have a chance of winning a single primary but hope to stay in long enough to raise an issue(s) that’s important to them and which they want the Party and it’s eventual nominee to give more than lip service to. I won’t debate the merits of that here. No, I want to focus on the ones who know they don’t have a chance of winning but just want attention. Or to raise some money, if not for their campaign to boost book sales or some business they’re involved in. Or those who are truly clueless and think that once voters have gotten a look at them on the debate stage voters will say “WOW! Where has he/she been? THAT is who I’m sending my money to, and will work my butt of to get elected!”
You know this kind of candidate, the ones with delusions of grandeur that despite what is said to their faces not even their family members will vote for. And who are embarrassed enough by association that serious damage is done with family relationships. What possesses such people is one of life’s mysteries but we can count on a collection of them popping up every time. Which brings me to the point, as I return to the ones running not because they believe they can win, but because they’ve got a cause to advance.
Which brings me to the growing bigger every week GOP Presidential field.
Sure, we’ve got a few on the Democratic side of things tilting at windmills. and even the possibility of one or two that can actually cause damage in the form of a 2016 repeat. Joe Manchin if he’s on a “No Labels” Party ticket and Cornell West who has the name recognition and stature with African American voters to peel off just enough of them in critical states where things are always close. It’s early, but in his case I fear he could become the 2024 version of Ralph Nader.
Anyway, over on the GOP side if some people thought Hillary Clinton approached 2016 with a sense of entitlement to the nomination and even the Presidency (rather unfair but she didn’t help insulate herself from such talk the way she might have had she taken in seriously) Donald Trump DEMANDS that he and he alone get the nomination for the GOP. By acclamation. He’s done everything in his power to pressure the RNC to in turn pressure state GOP Parties to exclude anyone else from primary ballots. Or even having a primary or caucus at all!
His fury that DeSantis and others have formally become candidates opposing HIM, and that others are actually seriously thinking about doing so is driving him round the bend. So is the lack of universal DENOUNCEMENT by every other Republican of each and every one of these “heretics.” He’s made it clear to all that by god MAGA Nation will do exactly what he says and “come after” them. He’s counted on fear since he blitzkrieged the GOP primary field in 2016. MAGA Nation was formed, by him and for him and to Trump it is HIS and his alone. And crossing him meant suffering the wrath of MAGA goobers everywhere.
However, the GOP found itself with a problem. Trump cost them over and over again in both state level elections and federal ones. Three straight general election cycles of bending to Trump’s dictates to avoid his wrath and that of his MAGAs have hurt. And last November’s midterms really drove the point home. In a midterm after a President’s first election to Office his Party loses significant seats in both the House and the Senate, and doesn’t do well at the state level. If prediction of a “Red Wave” were a tad hyperbolic, it was still a near lock the GOP would regain control of the Senate, and the House too by a strong margin. At least a thirty seat majority.
As we know, it didn’t happen that way. It wasn’t just the Dobb’s decision taking away abortion rights although that was a big factor. Trump personally mucked around in some Senate races that were winnable and while J.D. Vance somehow, inexplicably won in Ohio Mitch McConnell’s dream of retiring as Senate Majority Leader were dashed. And the House? Thanks to gerrymandering, mishandling of the crime issue in NY state in some swing districts near NYC and some other factors the GOP did win control. But barely and we’ve seen just how messed up things have gotten. When you have to go to bat to protect a George Santos because your margin is so thin you know you’re in trouble.
Some in the GOP would love for the Party to ignore Trump and run sane, conservative candidates in swing districts that can SOUND like moderate on the campaign trail and sneak through a win but like they’ve been for years now everyone is terrified of Trump and his turning MAGA nation loose on them. And losing to a MAGA nutjob in the PRIMARY!
Fear of Trump caused some possible Presidential candidates to decide to “wait till 28” rather than pi$$ off Trump and earn eternal damnation of his 30 million MAGAs. If Trump were to drop dead tomorrow after all his decidedly unhealthy eating habits and (lack of) exercise habits MAGA Nation won’t be going anywhere. The will expect, DEMAND even as close to a clone of Donald Trump as possible and any candidate who doesn’t angrily demand sainthood for Trump every f**king day will be toast come time for the 2028 primaries.
With the exception of DeSantis, and kinda sorta (is there anything other than timid when it come to Pence?) other hopefuls with one exception aren’t willing to truly take Trump to task. Nikki Haley comes to mind. Once a truly viable 2028 prospect she could have sat this one out, make non-committal statements and avoided being critical of Trump. But even now, by doing a less-embarrassing version of Susan Collins she’s saying enough nice things to indicate maybe being Trump’s VP pick and using that as her springboard to the Oval Office. Same for other candidates.
Chris Christy seems to be the only one willing to take on Trump and trade punches with him and Trump wants no part of that because Christy can throw more and harder punches! He’s one of those “can’t win the nomination but has a cause to advance” type of candidates I spoke of and his cause is to throw Trump’s political future into the wood chipper. He doesn’t even have to be physically close enough to Trump to grab him and haul him to the hopper. Just being on the same stage during a live debate or two and the deed will be done but that’s another topic entirely.
What’s dawning on me is that the GOP Presidential field, both declared and talking about maybe running is as I said growing weekly and shows signs of continuing to do so. Even if so many make noises about being so supportive of Trump and only running because they are concerned about his chances in the general election risk political destruction from Trump.
Or do they?
It doesn’t matter how much name recognition or gravitas these new candidates have. Just running is enough for Trump to get angry and crush them. He said as much earlier today. But new names are being added to the field. Former TX Congress Critter Will Hurd, some major I never heard of and can’t even remember his name or city hours later. FL Senator Rick SCOTT is making noises all of a sudden. Now that would get interesting. Both Trump and DeSantis would be equally furious!
My question though is whether this steadily increasing field which will I bet easily exceed twenty people by August (or Sept. at the latest) is a sign that around the country fear of MAGA, Trump’s “bigly” weapon isn’t something to be terrified of after all. A rational person can look at how Trump got his butt handed to him in the 2018 midterms and in so many state elections. It didn’t matter his name was on the ballot – every Republican candidates name might as well have had “Trump Lackey” printed with it. In 2020 when Trump WAS on the ballot he got his butt handed to him directly. MAGAs still for the most part believe he really won but maybe not as strongly as they once did. And then in 2022 the Red Wave failed to materialize.
Then, this year we’ve seen another sign Trump’s MAGAs aren’t as fervent as they once were. He called for a massive protest up in NYC for his arraignment there. More reporters showed up than Trump supporters, which has happened at numerous other Trump themed events that were “gonna be BIG!” The few rallies have been ho hum with nothing approaching the size or foaming at the mouth character as before. And in Miami, which unlike NYC never liked Trump and flat-out hates him and seeing his name on any building there is plenty of support. South Florida has become Trump territory. Yet, while LE was geared up for tens of thousands of MAGA only a thousand, maybe a little close to two showed up and were tame. Very few got out of line and arrested.
I don’t know about you, but the signs are increasing that MAGAs still believe in Trump and are willing to talk the talk, especially online since it’s easy to be tough in the virtual world. But Trump is calling them to show up and worship him, calling them to show up and protest for him when he goes to court. And at other events.
And they aren’t showing up.
Maybe GOP Presidential candidates and those thinking about getting into the race see the same things I see and are starting to think what not long ago was unthinkable – MAGA Nation loves them their Trump but not enough to go to bat for him. And if someone takes him down (looking at you Chris Christie or Jack Smith or the both of you tag-teaming him with Alvin Bragg and Fani Willis stepping in for their own rounds in the ring) then openly criticizing him now, or soon won’t carry the cost of doing so after all.
Maybe they think that while the GOP patient is still very sick with Trump fever, the fever is starting to break. Maybe their fear of Trump and MAGA is weakening. Ok, so it’s maybe just a faint hope but it’s there. And I don’t feel crazy for all of a sudden having it.
2016 redux. Will the rethugs realize they need to settle on one candidate after the first couple of primaries to have a shot at “dethroning” TFG? RFK Jr may have entered the wrong primary, considering he is being backed by Bannon and only doing RW podcasts and other media.
$$$$. The con trees are pollinating with the rubes and mark are dumb trees. The scent of grift is strong in the dc swamp & the halls of injustice and cruelty (any GQP hq and koch office & RW coup plotters … allegedly. Use them holly magical words to ward off the legal demons. Yikes egads and oh my stars and garters!). $$$ the election/consulting industrial complex needs to keep the big donor pipeline in use otherwise the $$ just sits there. Think Russian pipelines ( use them or loose them). I am sure the Saudi and Chinese $$ is begging to take over the Russian loot … but that pesky Twitter has been neutered and mostly destroyed… ah the sweet airs of seductive corruption and “new redone and improved virginal whoring” may begin. (Wonder if that phrasing can be trademarked🤔🤔🤔
“Acclimation” is a perfectly good word, but I’m sure you meant “acclamation.”
Dammit! It was late and as too often happens when I write something that late in the evening I miss mistakes by skimming when proofreading instead of doing a detailed look. More often than not if an idea comes to me mid evening or later I prefer to let it sit until the next day but sometimes I want to get something written a posted if I write a draft and feel like I’m on a roll. Thanks for the catch. I’ll go in and find & fix it. I don’t like being corrected any more than the next person but I don’t get p!ssy with those who point out my mistakes. So to you and anyone feel free to speak up with corrections or suggestions whenever you have them.