Following a disappointing showing in the Iowa caucuses, Ron DeSantis – the figure who many crowned as the presumptive heir to President Trump – dropped out of the race. Hypothetical polling preceding DeSantis’s entry into the presidential fray showed him as a formidable alternative to the former president. However, DeSantis’s abrupt exit, followed by his swift endorsement for his chief rival, revealed that the stranglehold that President Trump possesses over his party is strong as ever.
The early stages of the 2024 Republican presidential campaign cycle presented one of the GOP’s most formidable and diverse primary slates. Even in a field that once consisted of the only black Republican US senator, a female American-Indian who has served as a UN ambassador and governor, a billionaire American-Indian entrepreneur, a former vice president and the most popular conservative governor in the country, though, it was clear that President Donald Trump remained the party’s most revered figure.
The influence that President Trump currently possesses within the GOP base was put on full display on the night of the Iowa caucuses. After touring fewer counties than the likes of Governor DeSantis or Vivek Ramaswamy and abstaining from the handful of nationally televised debates, President Trump walked out of the Hawkeye state with one of the most lopsided victories in the caucus’ history.
Not only did the former President affirm his unilateral dominance over the Republican Party, but the American people communicated a clear message – Donald Trump deserves another chance.
Critics of the former President rightly cite his liabilities as a top-of-the-ticket candidate; federal indictments, losses of seats in Congressional elections, lessening appeal to suburban voters, and so on. However, in spite of President Trump’s personal, legal and political struggles, Trump has built himself a juggernaut campaign operation. The loyal apparatus of support that he has manufactured has made the former president untouchable to his intra-party opposition; each criminal indictment is followed by fundraising blitzes and those who were previously his loudest critics have turned into his most loyal surrogates.
Through Trump’s ability to strengthen his own base and outlast a highly accomplished slate of primary competitors, it is clear that Trump is on track to avenge his 2020 loss and restore the common-sense conservative governance that America needs.
The fact of the matter is that, under President Biden, America has been a nation in decline. A prosperous nation consists of a secure border, a responsible fiscal state, and a balance of federal powers. However, under the Biden administration, this country has seen a record amount of illegal border crossings, out-of-control discretionary spending levels, and an emerging woke administrative state. In addition, radical flanks of Washington’s dominant party have advocated for biological men to compete in women’s sports and gender reassignment surgery in minors. Some of its most extreme members have insinuated the mass genocide of the Jewish people.
In light of the aforementioned struggles of the Democrats, polling has clearly showcased a low approval for the Biden administration. And voters have made clear thus far that Republicans possess both the ideological capacity and the winning candidate to chart a new course for this nation.
As the GOP grapples with internal divisions and the quest for a new direction, Trump’s nomination is the unifying cause among Republican primary voters. The former president’s rallying cries of bucking the political establishment, shrinking the power of the bureaucracy, and protecting American citizens from an overreaching federal government is the message resonating best with GOP voters across the country.
Ultimately, the 2024 election serves as a critical juncture for the Republican Party. Many feel that the identity of the party will be unclear. Others feel that it is a large crossroads for the identity of the party. But what is abundantly clear is that voters feel that the man who delivered for America during his first administration needs to finish what he started.
Jimmy Murphy
Jimmy Murphy attends the Virginia Military Institute, pursuing a degree in International Studies and Political Science along with being a member of the VMI Football Team. Jimmy's political experience includes being a Hill intern, state party intern and a campaign staffer. Jimmy aspires to attend law school and then serve in the military as a JAG officer.
The views expressed in this article are the opinion of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Lone Conservative staff.
@_jimmymurphy
@_jimmymurphy