Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) says that if Donald Trump decides to run for a second term for president in 2024, it is likely he will get the Republican nomination. Romney, the 2012 Republican presidential nominee himself, says that he thinks Trump will continue to play a big role in GOP politics.
Romney said on Tuesday, “He has by far the largest voice and a big impact in my party. I don’t know if he’s planning to run in 2024 or not, but if he does, I’m pretty sure he would win the nomination.”
Romney went on to say that if Trump did run in 2024, he would not be voting for him.
Romney was a leading “Never Trump” figure in the GOP during the 2016 presidential contest, and voted to convict Trump in his first impeachment trial.
Trump is set to deliver a speech at this week’s Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC.)
It will be his first public appearance since leaving the White House, and many expect that he will lay out his political plans for 2022, and 2024.
Trump’s Upcoming CPAC Speech Will Be ‘Show Of Force’ According To Adviser https://t.co/Qs0llFPCkd
— Sean Hannity (@seanhannity) February 24, 2021
Very Interesting Things Are Happening In The Republican Party
A source close to the former president told Axios that the speech is intended to be a “show of force,” and that he will state that “I may not have Twitter or the Oval Office, but I’m still in charge.”
Trump’s speech could just be a verification of sorts, of the transformation that is going on in the Republican Party that not all want to talk about or even acknowledge.
Donald Trump not only revealed the depths of the swamp, but that both sides of the aisle occupy it.
He also revealed deep fissures within the Republican Party. Even the most devout of the party cannot deny there is a Mitt Romney-Mitch McConnell-Liz Cheney wing of the party, then there is the Trump wing.
In an appearance on Fox News Monday morning, Eric Trump stated the very reason for his father’s popularity.
“There’s 75-80 million people who would follow my father to the end of the Earth.” He added that they love Trump because he is not a traditional politician.
“There’s no question he will play a pivotal role in politics for a very long time to come.” Eric explained. “I really do believe he is the modern Republican Party.”
It is the assessments of people like Eric Trump that make the Romney-McConnell-Cheney wing crazy.
But as we move closer not just to 2024, but even to 2022, will they realize that the Trump wing is becoming the much bigger tent?
I admire Liz Cheney's answer. But I also think that CPAC and Donald Trump are absolutely made for each other. Trump is the essence of CPAC. I think that a healthy conservative movement and Republican Party would recoil from CPAC. https://t.co/Cq4Cr0qM4L
— Jay Nordlinger (@jaynordlinger) February 24, 2021
Looking At The Numbers
Numbers may tell the story of the future of the Republican Party.
A recent Suffolk University/USAToday poll showed that 46% of those that voted for Trump in 2020 would follow him to a third party if he were to start one.
And something that should get the attention of the Romney wing of the party is that in a recent Rasmussen poll, 72% of Republican voters want their legislators to be more like Trump and less like establishment Romney, McConnell, Cheney types.
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A Bad Ending For The GOP Establishment
A quick look at the numbers above show that things are not looking up for the establishment Republicans.
In addition to Mitt Romney saying he would not vote for Trump, Liz Cheney also said that, “Republicans must acknowledge the damage done by Trump’s false claims that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from him, and his encouragement of the mob that stormed the U.S. Capitol.”
Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) has begun a new PAC with the aim of “taking back the Republican Party from Trump.”
But like Liz Cheney, Kinzinger was among the 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump, and has already got some pushback in the form of a primary challenger for 2022.
IT BEGINS…Anti-Trumper Adam Kinzinger Gets Legal Immigrant America First Primary Challenger https://t.co/LWuoobaxpV
— breakingnews (@evansnewsreport) February 24, 2021
Trump wing pushback has also come in the form of young guns like Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), who has had words with Cheney, and even gone to Wyoming to campaign against her.
Establishment Republicans:
If you try to purge Trumpism from the GOP, the base of our party will reject you.
America First is the future.
— Rep. Matt Gaetz (@RepMattGaetz) February 18, 2021
Gaetz has also called out Kinzinger.
Adam is a patriot who fought for America from Northwest Florida.
We will always appreciate & honor his service.
Now, he wants to target my America First politics, referencing me by name.
My response:
Fucking bring it.
Adam needs PACs to win elections.
I don’t. https://t.co/TE9TPt6QJv
— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) February 11, 2021
Eric Trump also said of the Biden administration on Fox News Monday morning that “When you see some of these policies that are literally destroying jobs, that are destroying industries, that are causing Texas to freeze, that are cutting off our power to our energy grids and all these other nonsensical policies. Right now, the enthusiasm, it’s better than it’s ever been.”
He added that, “I think every single day, Biden makes people miss Donald Trump more.”
If you are talking about those in the Republican Party, it depends on who you are talking to.