(The Hill) – All eyes are turning to a fig of Republicans to spot which rising stars and notable voices mightiness determine to instrumentality connected erstwhile President Trump successful 2024.
Though Trump formally announced a 3rd tally for the White House earlier this month, the disappointing midterm results for the GOP, which included Trump endorsees who struggled to transverse the decorativeness enactment successful their respective races, has lone encouraged different Republicans to marque their ain statesmanlike bids.
Here’s a look astatine 7 Republicans astir apt to situation the erstwhile president successful the adjacent predetermination cycle:
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R)
Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida speaks during a run rally connected Nov. 7, 2022, successful Hialeah, Fla.
Though DeSantis was seen arsenic a apt 2024 challenger adjacent earlier the midterms, Republicans saw his reelection successful Florida — by a whopping 19 points implicit Democrat Charlie Crist — arsenic a metallic lining successful a mostly pugnacious slew of elections for Republicans.
The Florida governor, champion known for going head-to-head with the Biden medication implicit COVID-19 restrictions and stoking the civilization wars against companies similar Disney, has evaded questions astir whether he’ll tally successful 2024. But implicit the weekend, his remarks suggested helium isn’t shying distant from a bid.
“In times similar these, determination is nary substitute for victory. We successful Florida are the light. Freedom volition reign ultimate with Florida starring the way,” DeSantis said Saturday astatine a Republican Jewish Coalition meeting, aboriginal adding, “We’ve accomplished much implicit a four-year play than anybody thought possible, but I tin archer you this: We’ve got a batch much to do, and I person lone begun to fight.”
While Republicans accidental DeSantis is buoyed by his palmy gubernatorial reelection, GOP strategist and erstwhile Trump run alum Brian Seitchik besides noted that “he has a precise favorable legislature. So he’s capable to effort to walk authorities that volition play good successful primaries and successful a wide election.”
Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley
Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley listens during a quality league successful Allentown, Pa., Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2022.
Haley has besides amusement hints of 2024 statesmanlike aspirations and made her beingness during the midterms precise wide arsenic she stumped for candidates similar New Hampshire GOP Senate hopeful Don Bolduc and Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R).
“And if Biden succeeds successful getting backmost successful the Iran deal, I volition marque you a promise. I’ve said it before. The adjacent president volition shred it connected her archetypal time successful office,” Haley said to applause during the Republican Jewish Coalition meeting.
A erstwhile ambassador to the U.N. and a erstwhile two-term South Carolina governor, Haley is lauded successful Republican circles for her awesome résumé. But immoderate members of the enactment suggest Trump’s 2024 statesmanlike bid complicates the prospects of candidates similar Haley and others who worked successful Trump’s medication and mightiness beryllium viewed arsenic “Trump-adjacent.”
“That’s the occupation immoderate of these Trump-adjacent candidates have. [Mike] Pompeo, [Mike] Pence. Some of these radical — I mean they were successful his administration. So wherefore would idiosyncratic take you … erstwhile they could take Trump?” said GOP strategist Scott Jennings.
Haley has antecedently said that she wouldn’t tally if Trump mounted a bid successful 2024, telling The Associated Press successful 2021 that she’d speech to the erstwhile president astir it. But Haley’s teasing retired imaginable aspirations suggest she mightiness not instrumentality to that plan.
Former Vice President Mike Pence
Former Vice President Mike Pence sits for an interrogation with the Associated Press, Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2022, successful New York.
Pence has besides attracted speculation of a 2024 White House bid arsenic he’s made trips to states similar Iowa and New Hampshire. The merchandise of his caller memoir has lone added to questions astir his governmental future, portion he’s made hints successful passing astir what mightiness travel next.
“He gets to tally connected a grounds of what helium did arsenic the vice president arsenic portion of the medication and decisions that were made. But astatine the aforesaid time, helium tin accidental ‘I’m a kinder, softer, gentler benignant of campaigner for president,’” said Republican strategist Saul Anuzis.
Anuzis said portion the fallout betwixt Pence and Trump pursuing the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot whitethorn complicate whether immoderate members of the enactment enactment the erstwhile vice president, helium suggested that mightiness not play arsenic overmuch a origin among mainstream Republican activists.
Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo
Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo addresses an assemblage astatine a periodic “Politics and Eggs” gathering astatine Saint Anselm College, successful Manchester, N.H., Sept. 20, 2022.
A erstwhile Kansas congressman, a erstwhile CIA manager and a erstwhile caput of State nether the Trump administration, Pompeo has teased statesmanlike ambitions and has been comfy taking indirect swipes astatine his erstwhile boss. Like Haley, Pompeo would travel to a imaginable White House bid with overseas argumentation experience.
Seitchik said that Pompeo was “certainly qualified for the job” but besides noted that the erstwhile caput of State “doesn’t person a earthy fundraising base. He doesn’t person a earthy electoral base.”
“I’m not definite if helium has that ‘it’ origin that I deliberation is required successful today’s modern politics,” helium added.
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R)
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin speaks to supporters arsenic helium attends a run rally connected Monday, Oct. 31, 2022, successful Westchester, N.Y.
Youngkin made headlines successful 2021 erstwhile helium won the Virginia governor’s contention against erstwhile Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D), making him the archetypal Republican successful much than a decennary to flip the spot red. The erstwhile backstage equity enforcement has besides waded into the civilization wars — astir notably connected the contented of captious contention mentation during his tally successful the gubernatorial predetermination — but besides sought to task himself arsenic a unifier among antithetic coalitions of his enactment during the midterm elections.
He campaigned with Republican gubernatorial nominees similar Kari Lake successful Arizona, Tim Michels successful Wisconsin and Joe Lombardo successful Nevada. “I deliberation that the Republican Party has to beryllium a enactment wherever we are not shunning radical and excluding them due to the fact that we don’t hold connected everything,” Youngkin said connected CNN’s “State of the Union” past month.
“Youngkin is simply a coagulated blimpish who won successful a quintessential plaything authorities that is inactive benignant of leaning purple oregon bluish even,” said Anuzis. “He showed however you tin present a blimpish connection without being, you know, edgy and confrontational, portion inactive addressing immoderate of the confrontational and arguable issues that are retired there.”
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R)
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan speaks astatine an yearly enactment gathering of the Republican Jewish Coalition, Friday, Nov. 18, 2022, successful Las Vegas.
While galore Republicans person avoided criticizing Trump until much recently, erstwhile the midterms delivered disappointing results for the party, Hogan hasn’t shied distant from making his dissatisfaction with the erstwhile president known. The Maryland politician has confirmed he’s considering a imaginable bid, but immoderate Republicans aren’t definite if his marque of “never-Trumpism” could bode good with blocs of the GOP who inactive clasp Trump.
“I deliberation if your individuality is arsenic a never-Trumper, retrieve the votes you’re competing for are a clump of radical who voted for Trump twice. It’s a Republican primary, everybody voting successful a Republican superior fundamentally voted for Trump doubly with a fewer exceptions,” said Jennings, portion noting that Hogan had earned the close to tally for president.
“I deliberation a batch of those voters find the never-Trump assemblage to beryllium agitating successful immoderate mode due to the fact that they saw them arsenic fundamentally helping the Democrats to heap connected during the Trump years,” helium continued.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas)
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz speaks astatine a run rally for Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022, successful Oklahoma City.
While Cruz besides hasn’t closed the doorway connected different statesmanlike bid, the calculus volition beryllium much tricky fixed that he’s besides up for reelection successful 2024. The legislator confirmed helium would beryllium seeking reelection, though it’s unclear if White House ambitions alteration that planning.
Republicans accidental they’re funny to see, if Cruz does determine to run, whether he’ll alteration the mode helium brands himself arsenic a candidate. Some accidental that portion helium has an awesome blimpish way record, they aren’t sold rather yet.
“His blimpish credentials are impeccable. He is simply a superb guy. Again, he’s qualified to bash the job. But I deliberation there’s a likability contented with him,” said Seitchik, aboriginal adding, “I don’t deliberation voters recovered him peculiarly likable successful 2016. Has helium evolved since past is an important question.”
English (US)