As the midterm elections draw closer, the next question on the minds of many conservatives is who will run for the 2024 Republican nomination for President.
The question has already been at the top of the agenda for conservative activists across the country at conferences, where straw polls have been conducted asking if attendees would prefer former President Donald Trump, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, or a number of other choices.
So far, DeSantis and Trump have remained the top choices, with Trump being the overwhelming favorite at the Conservative Political Action Conference that happened this weekend in Texas.
BREAKING: 🚨 President Trump wins the Texas CPAC 2024 GOP Presidential straw poll in a complete blowout with nearly 70% of the vote
— Vince Langman (@LangmanVince) August 6, 2022
Democrats have also started considering who they would prefer to be their opponent in the 2024 race. So far, many are saying that they would prefer President Trump. They believe that DeSantis is a more politically savvy version of Trump without all the baggage he carries and would make a more formidable opponent in the Presidential race.
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“To me, DeSantis is the scarier prospect,” one Democratic strategist said. “He’s a smarter version of Trump, he’s way more strategic, and he doesn’t have a hundred lawsuits at his feet.“
The strategist believes that if Trump’s Presidential bid becomes too controversial, DeSantis will become the candidate to beat, should he choose to run.
“If Trump goes bust, and he very well may, he’s the main guy I’d be watching,” the strategist said of the Florida governor.
While DeSantis has not said he will run for President, he is embarking on a nationwide tour to promote Trump-endorsed candidates this month.
BREAKING: Governor DeSantis to tour the nation supporting Trump-endorsed candidates
America’s Governor is going full beast mode
— Brendon Leslie (@BrendonLeslie) August 8, 2022
A Florida-based political consultant that has worked on high-profile Democratic campaigns lamented the fact that Democrats are not trying to hit DeSantis harder in his race for Governor, stopping him in his tracks before he runs for President.
“What’s inexplicable to me is why — not just Joe Biden — but the entire Democratic establishment isn’t trying to disqualify him now in the governor’s race,” said Fernand Amandi, a Miami-based pollster, and consultant.
One White House Official said that Democrats have not focused much on DeSantis because they still believe that Trump will be the nominee in 2024.
“They believe strongly in the end that Trump will be the nominee,” said one ally who speaks to White House officials regularly. “That’s the governing theory until somebody proves otherwise.”
The Biden Admin has attacked DeSantis before, including condemning his Parental Rights in Education Act and DeSantis’ feud with Disney.
President Biden: "Ronald Reagan said, 'Mr. Gorbachev, tear this wall down! Today’s Republicans say, tear down Mickey Mouse's house! And pretty soon they’ll be storming Cinderella's castle, and you can be sure of it." pic.twitter.com/ajwVYmQ5Ga
— Mary Margaret Olohan (@MaryMargOlohan) May 1, 2022
In early July, the Biden administration called the law “discrimination” and encouraged Florida residents to file federal discrimination complaints.
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