The most poignant and looming question of the 2024 electoral season that lurks just around the corner from next month’s midterms is: Will Donald Trump be in the mix for the coming presidential race?
There is no clear-cut answer at this point, despite the extreme likelihood that Trump will be announcing his candidacy sooner rather than later. This is due to the fact that the former President is under enormous legal and political pressure at the moment, with a number of investigations into his alleged wrongdoings occurring concurrently at this time.
And, in a bit of a shocking twist, the Republican Party seems to be souring on the idea of him running again.
A growing number of prominent Republicans are warning that former President Trump should not run again in 2024 or that he will lose if he does, previewing rifts in the GOP that are likely to come into full view after the midterms.
Former Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R) and former Vice President Mike Pence in recent days each indicated they’d rather see someone else on the ballot in the next presidential election.
Some of the most outspoken figures — like Ryan, Bush and Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) — are no longer standard-bearers in the party, which has been taken over by Trump. But they still carry large megaphones, and their concerns about another Trump candidacy, combined with polls showing many voters are ready to move on, illustrate how Trump’s viability as a candidate could shape how the 2024 primary field comes into focus.
Ryan’s comments were particularly staunch.
Ryan, who retired from the House in 2019 after numerous public squabbles with Trump, argued earlier this month that the former president could cost Republicans the White House if he’s on the ballot in two years.
“I think Trump’s unelectability will be palpable by then,” Ryan said. “We all know he will lose. Or let me put it this way: We all know he’s much more likely to lose the White House than anybody else running for president on our side of the aisle. So why would we want to go with that?”
Trump is still the single most important figure in the Republican Party, however, and simply wishing that he’d go away certainly won’t be a winning strategy for the GOP.
