The Race for the Republican Presidential Nomination

A lot of Republicans have doubts about Trump’s ability to win the presidential election in 2024; they wish that they could field a candidate who would have a better chance of beating their Democratic opponent. The trouble is that no Republican the MAGA cult crowd shuns can win the general election, and it appears that the MAGA cult crowd will shun anyone who isn’t Trump.

Florida governor Ron DeSantis is trying to change that. He’s trying to win over a lot of people in the MAGA cult crowd even though he isn’t Trump. To accomplish this he’s been engaging in race-baiting, xenophobia, misogyny, and playing up to Christian nationalists, all practices that appeal to people in the MAGA cult crowd. It’s not likely he’ll succeed. As Jennifer Rubin noted in a Washington Post column yesterday, try as he might, DeSantis doesn’t come close to being as good as Trump at race-baiting, xenophobia, misogyny and playing up to Christian nationalists. DeSantis is a dogged man, however, and he’ll probably keep trying.