Donald Trump has a nearly insurmountable problem that was obvious from the moment he kicked off his 2024 presidential campaign. Even the previous president seemed bored by the kickoff speech he read. Worse, GOP senators just do not want the former White House resident around.
Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) has been fully behind the ex-president, according to the senator’s tweet. Although, even Trump’s main sidekick Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) has not yet endorsed the former president.
Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) has not had a problem criticizing the 45th president, and this was no different. In a GOP closed-door meeting, the senator said, The Hill reported:
‘One senator in a meeting we had this week said, “How many in this room want to see President Trump announce he’s running for president today?” Not one hand up.’
After all, the candidates Trump endorsed nearly all lost. Romney continued:
‘I think we’re going to be looking at the other people who may run. I’m one who believes we have a much stronger bench than bringing out the retired war horse that has lost three in a row.’
Romney called it:
‘[Trump is the] 900-lb gorilla when it comes to the Republican Party. Maybe he’s 400 lbs at this stage.’
Of course, the ex-president has had a following of “30 to 40 percent” of all Republicans. The Utah senator added:
‘He has an avid following, just like anyone who has built as strong an organization as he has. Many people love him, want to see him succeed. I don’t think it’s the majority of the party, but it may be the plurality, and that’s what he’s counting on.’
Tuberville was more positive about the one-of-a-kind president:
‘I might be his campaign manager. [But] there will be more people running, and it will be a battle for two years. I support his policies. We all understand sometimes the rhetoric behind it turns people off but, hey, I’ve been a football coach. I understand all that. Sometimes you got to stand up for what you believe in.’
Tuberville pointed to where Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL) lost out to Trump:
‘[DeSantis[ has been good following the same trajectory as Donald Trump. He’s run a state, he ain’t run a country.’
Then, there was Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) who wanted “choices:”
‘At this point it’s too early. He’s not an incumbent and I’d like to see who else gets in the race. I hope some others do. I just think we need to have choices, debates, and hold people to some promises.’
Cramer described the obvious alternative choice, DeSantis, according to The POLITICO:
‘I almost don’t know how he couldn’t [enter the race] given just how high the demand for him is within the party. I’ve always kind of liked Mike Pompeo, actually, as a candidate. I wouldn’t endorse him right out of the chute.’
Former Trump CIA Director and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has also long wanted his own place in the sun:
‘We were told we’d get tired of winning. But I’m tired of losing. And so are most Republicans.’
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) wryly noted that Trump’s MAGA candidates did nothing for Independents and the more moderate Republicans:
‘The way I’m going to go into this presidential primary season is to stay out of it. I don’t have a dog in that fight. I think it’s going to be a highly contested nomination fight with other candidates entering.’
A top Senate aide said that in the 2016 election:
‘In 2024, it really is going to be a choice of Trump or not-Trump. If there are eight people splitting 75 percent [of the anti-Trump] vote, they don’t win.’
Yet, none of the senators said that they would vote against Trump should the man be the 2024 candidate, according to The Washington Post.
Featured image is a screenshot via YouTube.
Christie writes Gloria Christie Reports & Three White Lions Substack newsletters and a Three White Lions podcast available on Apple, Spotify, etc. She is a political journalist for the liberal online newspaper The Bipartisan Report. Written in her own unique style with a twist of humor. Christie’s Mueller Report Adventures In Bite-Sizes a real-life compelling spy mystery (in progress). Find her here on Facebook. Or at Three White Lions her book on Amazon Kindle Vella and the Gloria Christie Three White Lions podcast on Apple, Spotify, etc.
