Prominent Republicans refrain from supporting Trump

GOP leaders keep their powder dry when it comes to former President Trump’s 2024 campaign by refusing to publicly support him despite his lead in most primary polls.

Prominent Republicans in early voting states such as Iowa and South Carolina have refrained from supporting him, as have some longtime allies in Washington such as Senator Rick Scott (R-Fla.).

The reluctance to contribute is rising as the Republican field begins to solidify and Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.), arguably Trump’s most formidable top opponent, is believed to be moving closer to his own White House bid.

“They’re waiting to see what the Trump campaign is about,” said Brian Seichik, a GOP strategist from Arizona and a Trump campaign alumnus.

“I think people who support Donald Trump would like the campaign to be about inflation, border security, talk about the success of his administration,” continued Seichik. “I think people are afraid the campaign is going to be a complaining tour and how the race was stolen from him and how he’s not getting enough recognition for this or enough for that.”

Trump made his first notable foray into the 2024 campaign last week, visiting the key early voting states of New Hampshire and South Carolina. The former president addressed officials at the New Hampshire Republican Party’s annual meeting and then presented his South Carolina leadership at the State House in Columbia.

The event, which drew 200 people, was attended by major figures such as South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster (right) and Senator Lindsey Graham (RS.C.). However, Trump has not received as much support as he did during his most recent campaign in 2020, and several prominent Republicans in the region have been conspicuously absent, including former Gov. Nikki Haley (RSC), a former Trump administration who is said to , plans to challenge his former boss.

“If you’re a former president, why don’t every sitting Republican congressman in South Carolina support you?” said Alex Stroman, a former spokesman for Trump’s inaugural committee and former chief executive of the Republican Party of South Carolina.

The large-scale nature of Trump’s campaign events over the weekend has raised eyebrows among observers accustomed to his usually crowded and noisy rallies. While critics said the weekend’s events were a sign of a possible decline in Trump’s GOP stake, others said it was likely part of a larger strategy.

A member of Trump’s 2016 and 2020 presidential campaigns told The Hill that more intimate events make Trump more presidential.

“It made sense to do it,” the alum said. “Because this is a classic hit, who is the x-factor at the rallies? How would this happen? Does it just deviate too much from the script?

Of course, Trump still has plenty of time to formally enlist the support of fellow Republicans. On This was reported by Politico on Tuesday. that Senator J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), whom Trump endorsed in 2022, has told allies that he plans to support Trump in 2024. Vance’s fellow freshman Senator Eric Schmitt (R-M.) told the publication that the former president has his backing.

And Trump continues to hold a strong lead in most 2024 polls. An Emerson College poll released last week showed Trump leading DeSantis by 26 points, and a Harvard CAPS-Harris poll from last week shows Trump leading DeSantis by 20 points.

“The reality of this situation is that he is in the lead in all these polls because people have been suffering for the past few years and I think the American public believes that he is the person who can bring us back to normal. — said in an interview with The Hill freshman Rep. Wesley Hunt (R-Texas), a supporter of the former president.

Other Republicans are more skeptical, arguing that Trump’s presence in the race so early gives him an edge in the polls at this point.

“It’s easy to be the leader when you’re the only person in the race,” Stroman said.

Republicans, both supporters and critics of Trump, say they expect strong primaries in 2024.

DeSantis is, by and large, seen by many in the Republican Party as the next best replacement for the former president, and he appears to be getting closer to the 2024 bid. Other candidates said to be exploring presidential campaigns include Haley, former Vice President Mike Pence, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (right). Senator Tim Scott (RS.C.) has also been suggested as a possible nominee and is set to attend the annual GOP Lincoln Dinner of Polk County, Iowa, next month.

Various Republicans say they are waiting to see how the primaries go, but Trump supporters say the former president’s track record is reason enough to back him from the start.

“I think all of these people are great and will become great leaders in the future, but the reason they still don’t resonate is because they haven’t proven effective yet,” Hunt said.

But Trump had harsher words for those who wanted to challenge him, especially DeSantis.

“I really think it would be a big act of infidelity because, you know, I lured him in. He didn’t stand a chance. His political life has come to an end,” Trump said. told the Associated Press on Saturday.

Trump’s brief words sent a strong message to DeSantis, who was once seen as one of the former president’s key allies.

“He clearly fears the ascension of Ron DeSantis and wants to end it as quickly as possible,” Seichik said. “I think he also wants to give him an idea of ​​what the campaign will be like.”

The Florida governor hit back at Trump on Tuesday, comparing his successful bid for re-election in 2022 to the former president’s failed bid in 2020.

“People can judge whether they will re-elect you or not, and I am happy to say that in my case, we not only won re-election, we won with the highest percentage of the vote that any Republican gubernatorial candidate has. history of the state of Florida,” DeSantis said to applause.

And while Trump’s Republican critics say the primaries won’t be a coronation for the former president, they argue it won’t be a coronation for DeSantis either.

In 2016, Trump had great success giving his Republican opponents derogatory nicknames. Trump infamously called former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R) a “Low Power Jeb” and Senator Marco Rubio (D-Fla.) was branded “Little Marco.”

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“This is a test of will and endurance on many levels, and overcoming the daily and perhaps hourly attacks of Donald Trump is part of the process,” Seichik said.

And while Trump’s endorsed candidates fell largely behind in last year’s general election, his brand still did well in the primaries.

“As evidenced by the success he had in the primaries last year, not overall, but the success he had in the primaries, he’s still the guy to beat,” Seichik said. “Unless someone shows they have the will and the guts to stand up to Donald Trump, it’s pretty hard to jump off a cliff.”

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