Former President Donald Trump, 76, appears to recognize his dwindling chances of winning the Republican nomination in 2024, floating that idea of running as an independent. Trump’s run as an independent would doom the GOP chances of defeating 80-year-old President Joe Biden who looks poised to run for a second term at 82. Recent GOP polls show that the Party appears to have moved on from Trump who announced a third run for president Nov. 15. GOP’s party establishment looks for a fresh face in 2024, believing, like former 52-year-old former House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), that Trump can’t win a national election. Unlike the Trump-hating side of the Republican Party, Ryan thinks that Trump 25% base isn’t enough to carry him back to the White House. Ryan has been coy about his future plans but could very well toss his hat into the ring in 2024.
Conservative writer Dan Gelemter, writing in the journal “American Greatness,” wrote about the “Coming Split,” seeing that Trump could be pushed out of GOP contention in 2024. Gelemter backs Trump all the way in 2024 but sees the GOP moving away from the former president. “ Do I think Turmp can win a third-party candidate? No,” wrote Gelemter. “Would I voter for him as a third party candidate” Yes. Because I’m not interested in propping up this corrupt [GOP] gravy-train any longer,” wrote Gelemter. Trump’s run as an independent would take at least some portion of his 25% base away from the GOP nominee, handing the White House back to Democrats. Another term of Biden could bean WW III or nuclear war in Europe, all because Democrats and GOP elected officials agree on fighting the Kremlin. Only Trump has the guts to end the Ukraine War.
Four more years of Biden would mean four more years of perpetual warfare with the Russian Federation. Biden shows no signs to ending his support for the Ukraine War, promising to pay Kiev’s government salaries and the war as long as it takes. Delivering his New Years message tonight, Ukraine’s 44-yer-old President Volodymer Zelensky wished his national “victory” in the year ahead, saying nothing about peace talks with the Russian Federation. As long a Biden is commander-in-chief, the Ukraine will continue to disrupt peace in Europe and the world economy. Biden has, for whatever reason, trashed U.S.-Russian relations to subsidize a bankrupt Ukraine economy and fund a senseless war. Demonizing 70-year-old Russian President Vladimir Putin doesn’t provide a justification for continuing a dangerous war which, any minute, could morph into WW III, possibly nuclear war.
Running as an independent, Trump would all but guarantee Biden four more years. If the GOP picks a younger nominee like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Trump should do the right thing, withdraw his bid. Why spend the money on a losing proposition but, more importantly, why lead his sheep-like followers over a cliff? Taking the House of Representatives in the Midterm election was a monumental accomplishment for the GOP. Whatever Trump did or didn’t do to help the GOP take the U.S. Senate, the party should stop blaming him for the Senate result. Getting the House back was even a bigger feat than taking the Senate when you consider certain demographic trends since the 2018 Midterms and 2020 election favoring Democrats. Running as an independent in 2024, Trump would be purely vindictive, retaliating for the GOP looking for a fresh face in 2024.
Gelemter thinks the GOP has given up on Trump running again in 2024, believing he can’t pull in independents and swing voters to win the White House. “Republican machine has no intention of letting us choose Trump again. He is not a uniparty team player. They’d rather lose an election to the Democrats, their brothers in crime, then win with Trump,”said Gelemter, a hardcore Trump backer. Republicans, like Sen. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) are tired of Trump’s antics, but, more importantly, his criticism of GOP leaders. McConnell agrees with Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Ut.) that the GOP needs to move on from Trump in 2034. Whether Trump decides to retaliate against the GOP is anyone’s guess. He could very well take a party elder role by endorsing whomever the party decides has the best shot of beating Biden. Growing numbers of Republicans think Trump can’t beat Biden.
Trump’s sour grapes response to losing the 2020 election turned off a lot of GOP party officials, knowing that there was no evidence of widespread voter fraud. Unlike Trump’s Democrats and GOP critics, Trump is entitled, no matter how farfetched, to his eccentric views of the 2020 election. Democrats call his election denial the “Big Lie,” but really it’s his right to think whatever he wants about the 2020 election. Democrats criminalized Trump views of the 2020 election. But no matter how much they’ve demonized the former president, the Jan. 6 House Committee didn’t prove their case that Trump in any way planned, orchestrated or conspired with any groups or individuals that committed crimes on Jan. 6, 2021. All the Committee showed was extreme partisanship and bias, trying to frame Trump for something he didn’t do. When it comes to 2024, Trump should take the GOP’s preference so seriously.
About the Author
John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He’s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.
