While we can all agree that Joe Biden’s presidency has been a disaster, my faith in the GOP’s ability to reclaim the White House in the upcoming 2024 election has dwindled in the past several months. Why? Mostly because of the lack of unity within the Republican Party, which has opened the door for the Democrats to secure another four years in control of the executive branch, despite their incompetence.
Part of the problem, I’m sorry to say, is Trump. Despite his lead in most of the GOP primary polls, he’s attacking Ron DeSantis instead of concentrating on highlighting the shortcomings of Joe Biden and the Democratic Party.
Undoubtedly, Donald Trump is the leading contender for the 2024 GOP nomination, with a consistent lead in GOP primary polls. However, with plenty of time until the election, anything can happen. Trump’s recent focus on preventing a challenge from DeSantis has caused some of his most fervent supporters to turn against the Florida governor, treating him as no different from Joe Biden.
Whether it’s during rallies, in social media posts, or in media interviews, Trump can’t help himself from attacking DeSantis. And when he’s not blasting DeSantis, his more ardent and loyal supporters are stepping in to criticize the Florida governor — and any other potential 2024 GOP primary opponents.
If you dare post something positive about DeSantis on social media, you’ll probably hear from someone giving you a canned response about how DeSantis is an establishment Republican who can’t be trusted, yada, yada, yada. Never mind that he’s perhaps the most successful Republican governor in a generation, who turned a purple bellwether state into a GOP stronghold and won reelection last year in a landslide. Ron DeSantis is a winner. He’s the future of the Republican Party.
Trump knows DeSantis is a threat, as do Trump’s supporters. And their diehard devotion to Trump and only Trump could destroy the GOP’s chances of victory in 2024. These people have put loyalty to one man ahead of loyalty to our country. First, they complained that DeSantis hadn’t condemned Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s partisan prosecution of Trump, and then when he did, they complained for a variety of silly reasons.
I have seen influential Trump supporters claim that they will not vote in the 2024 election if Trump is not the Republican Party’s nominee. These are people who would rather see Democrats destroy the country for another four years than vote for anyone but Trump. They know that despite Trump’s lead in national polls, DeSantis has led in a number of state polls, which could make a difference in the primaries, potentially propelling him to victory.
I suspect some Trump partisans who claim they won’t vote for DeSantis if he becomes the GOP nominee may still end up supporting him. But I believe many more will abstain from voting in order to ensure DeSantis loses the general election — just so they can argue that Trump was the only candidate who could have won.
Related: Mike Pence Won’t Commit to Supporting Trump if He’s GOP Nominee
I will support whoever the nominee is with enthusiasm because I understand the gravity of the situation. The Obama administration caused significant damage to our country over eight years, and things have rapidly worsened under Biden. The fate of our nation is at stake, and it may never recover from disaster unless conservatives come together and unite against the real threat.