Trump puts the squeeze on the emerging GOP field

Created
Sat, 11/02/2023 - 05:30
Updated
Sat, 11/02/2023 - 05:30
He hits them from the right … and the left Dark Brandon aimed his death ray at the congressional Republicans in front of the whole country this week and in the process seems to have banished all thoughts of a primary challenge should he decide to seek a second term. Unless something dramatic changes, it appears that the Democrats are not going to have a nomination fight on their hands. The Republicans, on the other hand, look to be gearing up for a knockdown, drag-out, bare-knuckled brawl — and the dynamics already taking shape are fascinating. It was always a good bet that Donald Trump would run again for no other reason than he is the sorest loser in world history and he simply cannot accept that he lost the last election. He didn’t expect to have any rivals, however, assuming that he would receive the nomination by acclamation and not really even have to campaign until the general election. He didn’t realize that his epic pout after the 2020 election would turn off so many GOP suburban voters and no doubt believed that he would be a kingmaker in the 2022 election, reaffirming his position as the only possible candidate. None of that has gone as he’d hoped, however, and he’s now faced with having to campaign in earnest amongst a crowded field as he did in 2016. Advertisement: The tension between his need to lash out at former sycophants even as he knows it’s good for him if…