Donald Trump is, without a doubt, the single most influential Republican on the face of the planet at this time…and he has been for quite a while.
His inevitable 2024 run for the White House will almost certainly push the GOP to the extremes, however, as a number of prominent Republicans have begun to publicly suggest that maybe he isn’t right for the job.
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.
Former Speaker Ryan’s comments were particularly raucous.
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?”
It is telling, however, that the most vitriolic commentary is coming from those with little skin left in the game, as Trump has proven himself to be a formidable political opponent even from the comfort of his non-political existence.
