DeSantis, Youngkin, Pence, Scott… The candidates who could challenge Trump

Donald Trump was in a hurry to make his “big announcement”. He has even ignored people in his inner circle who advised him to wait at least until the runoff in Georgia for the final Senate seat is held on Dec. 6. There are several reasons for the rush, including his idea that a run for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination can shield him from legal action. But another fundamental reason is that he believes that he can start to gain ground against potential rivals.

No one threatens him or appears more in the political conversationof donors and in surveysas well as in the indicatives trump attacksthan Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, but the list of possible candidates is quite crowded.

This breadth of field is not, from the outset, something negative for Trump, who in 2015 started in a race with 17 other candidates, the following year he got rid of the 11 who reached the primary process and ended up winning the nomination and presidency. It is not, either, a safe list, because some may desist from challenging him even when he appears weakened. But these are some of the fundamental names when, even without the final results of 2022, one is already thinking of 2024.

Ron DeSantis

Florida Governor

Former Tea Party Congressman, Governor of 44 years has succeeded by embracing a decidedly conservative agenda and forcefully positioning itself in the culture wars on education, community rights LGBTQ or teaching of racism.

His resounding victory by 20 points last Tuesday to achieve re-election finished establishing the status that had been building for months within the party and is already declared by many as the “future” Of the information.

It is one of the favorites big donorssome of whom say “the time has come to pass on to a new generation & rdquor ;, and in recent days he has also begun to advance Trump for the first time as a potential candidate in small polls among Republican voters.

One problem for DeSantis is that he is not expected to announce a possible candidacy. until the beginning of next year, after renewing in office. And that buys time for Trump to continue hurling insults and attacks at him that can alienate the bases.

Another problem for the governor is something noted by Sarah Longwell, a Republican anti-Trump strategist who has been conducting surveys of party voters. Many say that she is like trump. they like what it is fighterthat shouts people… And your brand is a imitation of Trump & rdquor ;, Longwell explained to ‘The Washington Post’. “What happens when he goes head-to-head with the guy he imitates? & Rdquor;

Glenn Youngkin

Virginia Governor

Already a year before DeSantis Youngkin achieved a victory in Virginia that also seemed like squaring the circle in the post-Trump presidency era: keeping the former president at a certain distance to attract moderates and independents but without breaking with him or losing his supporters. grassroots and, like DeSantis, making the culture wars a central and winning element in his campaign.

In these ‘midterms’ he has been one of the politicians the party has supported and one of the most lavishedwalking his iconic red vest across the country and endorsing Republican candidates, a sign of his growing status in the Party. He also held a meeting with donors which is seen as a prelude to his candidacy. Trump has also begun to publicly launch attacksa sign that he considers him a possible rival to beat.

Mike Pence

former vice president

Trump’s ‘big announcement’ coincided with the publication of ‘God help me”the book of memories of the former governor of Indiana who was his vice president. But Pence makes, both in the book and in his potential presidential run, some tricky juggling. At the same time that question Trump’s actions after the defeat, and in the assault on the Capitol, where he harangued the masses that threatened to kill him, he has been defending his presidency.

Pence has not stopped meeting with donors (as has former secretary of state Mike Pompeoanother big name on this list), and his advisers say he will take a decision in spring and he will not be influenced by what Trump does (the same thing that Pompeo also says). What is in question is whether he will be able to measure up to the man who keeps calling, repeatedly, “my friend & rdquor ;.

Tim Scott

Senator from South Carolina

Scott is the only black Republican senator and would be an asset to a party that seeks to win over independents, moderates and minority voters beyond their traditional bases or the white worker that Trump mobilized.

In the past, Scott has tried to avoid questions about whether he will run and has also hinted that he might join Trump as a potential presidential candidate. vice president. On Tuesday, however, he signaled his presidential aspirations after being re-elected with an even larger victory than DeSantis’ in Florida, by 26 points over his rival.

Speaking of how his grandfather, now deceased, voted for Barack Obama’s re-election, Scott said: “I wish I had lived to see another black man to be elected president of the USA, but this time let him be a republican”. His possible candidacy has aroused the enthusiasm of Mitch McConnell, leader of the Republican minority in the Senate.

Other names

nikki haleyformer governor of South Carolina and Trump’s ambassador to the United Nations.

ted crosssenator.

Larry Hoganoutgoing Governor of Maryland.

chris christie, former Governor of New Jersey. He has assured that we must focus on the message that the former president is a “loser & rdquor; that drags the party with him. “He promised that we would get tired of winning (…) but the only thing that has been won since Donald Trump was president has been won for Donald Trump. That is what you have to tell people & rdquor ;, he has declared.

Kari Lake. The former television presenter and one of the figures who were on the rise in Trumpism, has been defeated in her aspirations to be governor of Arizona. That failure now takes away from her name, which has also been considered as a possible vice-presidential candidate chosen by Trump to accompany him.

Liz Cheney. The daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney and until January 3 a congressman was expunged by the party from her responsibilities in the House after becoming Trump’s scourge for his challenge to the electoral results and for the assault on the Capitol. She was defeated in primaries by a candidate endorsed by the former president. She is a highly unlikely option as long as Trump and Trumpism continue to dominate the party, but she cannot be ruled out.

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