Once Donald Trump’s presidential candidacy is confirmed, other players become active publicly or behind the scenes.
Trump is certainly dented after his exit from the midterm elections, and if still undefeated, many observers have noted that voters have ripened for another style of candidate.
movement towards the center?
An analysis of the latest poll results shows that Americans are fed up with extremist rhetoric and attacks on democratic institutions. Trump still appeals to a section of the electorate, but if we’re aiming for a national victory, it’s probably time to rebalance things.
The more centrist or moderate elements of the Republican Party have already begun the rolling mechanics. Even before he was elected Speaker of the House, Kevin McCarthy notes that he wouldn’t resort to just force Marjorie Taylor Greene and other Trump henchmen.
McCarthy is well aware that his narrow majority in the House of Representatives does not give him much room. A legislative victory over the Democrats will necessarily pass through concessions with his more moderate forces.
Who is not Trump?
We already know that the former president will sell his skin dearly and that he will not spare any of his opponents. Of those, two seem unavoidable to me: Ron DeSantis and Mike Pence.
DeSantis has been popular since his re-election and could be the leader when the primary calendar officially begins. For his part, Pence has always dreamed of the presidency. Not very charismatic, he will use his experience and have many supports in his training.
In addition to DeSantis and Pence, New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Chris Christie, the former governor of New Jersey and jaded adviser for 45e president.
However, two other candidates seem more interesting to me in the current context. The first is Maryland Governor Larry Hogan. A critic of Trump and a supporter of his impeachment, he could seduce the undecided and, who knows, win over some Democrats to his cause.
Although the list of potential nominees will grow longer, I’m putting Nikki Haley’s name first. I watched the former governor of South Carolina and former ambassador to the United Nations under Donald Trump for a long time.
Haley has been able to navigate the Trump presidency without enduring the ugliness of it, and has used her time at the United Nations to fill in a weaker record on international relations.
Those who thought the first woman to become president would be a Democrat might be surprised. The daughter of immigrants from India has accumulated success since her arrival on the political scene, and as she recalled in Las Vegas last weekend: “I have never lost.»
