Golly, what a nonsurprise. Seriously, what idiot thought there was the slightest chance of a close second, let alone an upset?
So far, Ramaswamy has dropped out of the race, putting his support behind Trump. Haley has dropped out of the debates, having come in third behind DeSantis, but remains in the race going into New Hampshire. DeSantis has accepted the CNN debate invitation.
So, who’s left in the race besides Trump, DeSantis and Haley? Near as I can tell, no one. All the minor candidates have left the building so while there might be a straggler below the 2% level, there’s no one who would be eligible to be on the debate stage. DeSantis is gonna do great all by himself.
Ramaswamy’s departure is not unexpected. He’s running for 2028 in the time honored manner of running for name recognition in unlikely years. Ramaswamy has what he came for and the best thing for him to do to capitalize on it is to go to bat for Trump as hard as he can. Exactly what DeSantis should have done months ago. Oh well.
Haley appears to be running to the supporters for 2028 at this point. She needed to beat DeSantis for a distant second to prove her ‘electability’. I seriously want words with the imbecile that is advising her. Fighting for second place and a distant second at that only proves that your campaign manager is an idiot, not that you’re a contender. Haley is best advised to bow out gracefully and support Trump as nominee.
Ditto DeSantis. No one remembers the runner up to Secretariat in the 1973 Kentucky Derby. No one will care about the runner up to a Trump landslide. But DeSantis has evidently hired the Hillary Clinton 2016 campaign staff and will keep running despite the race having been over ten minutes ago.
It would be different if either DeSantis or Haley had been within five points of Trump. Together, they barely get within ten. That’s not a position you can win from but we’re going straight on into the slaughter in New Hampshire next week. Did anyone tell these guys that there is no prize for second place? Secretariat’s runners up at least got prize money. Heck, they probably even got decent stud fees since no one faults you losing to Secretariat.
Unless you’re stupid enough to keep trying when you are going to end up glue for the trouble.
Trump’s base is much broader than the media credits it. Even if you only count the hardcore base, Trump’s appeal to the broader party is palpable. Grassroots Republicans want the kind of get it done change that Trump represents and they are demonstrating that repeatedly. Trying to deny them is a strategy for political suicide.
The party elites / never Trumpers / old school fiscal conservatives of the Republican party refuse to acknowledge the wake up call. This isn’t your granddad’s Republican party anymore. You have a blue collar, not blue blood, base now. Get with the program!
Tossing DeSantis and Haley to the wolves by encouraging them to run past New Hampshire is just going to make both of them impossible to elect in 2028 because they will have soured both Trump’s base and the more socially conservative middle. Knock it off! Lose gracefully – it’ll make you a ton harder to deal with when Trump isn’t on the ticket in 2028.
No one will be surprised when none of the Republican elitists listen to little ol’ me – or anyone else – least of all me. I like telling the opposition how to win because it makes for a fairer fight and it’s hilarious when they don’t listen and end up admitting they should have.
Haley may have the good sense to drop out if she comes in third again in New Hampshire. DeSantis will probably hang in because the wishy washy supporters will be running back. Or the two of them may continue to fight for the title of Second Place Loser until the summer.
Most likely, one will drop out after New Hampshire and the other by mid March.
But unless the miracle occurs and either DeSantis or Haley win New Hampshire, the GOP primaries are over except for the formalities as of January 23, 2024. No one will care about the DeSantis/Haley race. No one will notice which one actually comes in second. And if they don’t BOTH smarten up, no one will support either of them in 2028.
Trump is back big time. The race is now really between him and presumably Biden. Republican Trump detractors will quickly find themselves lumped with Biden supporters. Party loyalists don’t like traitors, in case anyone was wondering.
It’s past time for the Republican leadership to put on their big boy pants and start supporting their party’s choice for President.
The party they save will be their own.
