The GOP primary was over before it started.
Think back to early last year. Trump, though still the front-runner, was vulnerable. His poll numbers hovered in the low 40% range, with a majority of Republicans opting for a fresh face. Ron DeSantis was actually in the hunt before announcing his candidacy, trailing Trump by as little as 13% in polling averages.
Then, prosecutors entered the campaign, slapping Trump with charges under any legal pretext they could muster. This isn't new, but a recurrent theme throughout Trump’s political career. As over-the-top as he may be, his opponents always find a way to overreact.
It literally started as Trump descended down the escalator in Trump Tower to announce his 2016 presidential campaign. He was the only national candidate who articulated what most Americans believed – that illegal immigration needs to be addressed. The media's response? They didn't just cover him; they treated him as a menace needing eradication.
The current tactic of drowning him in court cases, perfectly (and suspiciously) timed to coincide with his presidential campaign, is a naked display of prosecutorial misconduct. With the exception of the Florida documents case, the charges against him overreach the law, even though some will likely end in convictions.
Republican voters responded by rallying around the man being targeted. As I’ve outlined before, the multiple indictments perfectly coincided with a rise in Trump’s Republican popularity, putting him into the unbeatable position where he now sits.
The problem with the DeSantis campaign wasn’t his bungled announcement or his personal stiffness. The problem with the DeSantis campaign is that it existed at all.
He launched his campaign on the premise that there was enough Republican dissatisfaction with Trump that he could be an alternative without the baggage. Once Republicans decided the Democrat baggage was once again worse, the reason for the DeSantis candidacy was over.
Nikki Haley’s loss last night will be her campaign’s high point. As she leaves the quirky New Hampshire, she’ll face a Donald Trump who’s averaging just over 66% in support, compared to her 11.5%. For her, it’s all downhill from here.
Republicans have rallied around Donald Trump, and the general election is underway.
— Ken
Good article, had the Dems NOT prosecuted Trump wed still have a Primary But since they chose to prosecute Trump with lawfare He WINS
So I’m a conservative but I’ve never been a Trump fan. Originally I preferred Desantis... mainly because, while I liked many of the priorities of Trump’s first presidency, I felt like he didn’t accomplish many of them. Maybe it was his misunderstanding of just how much the establishment hated him, including the DOJ, CIA, etc. Also, I thought he was too old... I still think he’s too old. However, when they started using ‘creative’ legal interpretations to charge him with things no one else would ever be charged with, or if they were, it would result in a fine, I changed my mind. The fact that the democrats and govt institutions are persecuting their election opponent gives me really bad vibes, and now I think that Trump has to be our nominee to let the deep state know... we see you. We’re on to your tactics. And we will not sit idly by while you screw with our system and create a dictatorship.
Also, isn’t it interesting that everything they say that Trump will do after he comes in office that will make him a dictator are actually things the powers that be are already doing to us?
Just my 2 cents.