And the fact of the matter is that Donald Trump may very well lose the election, whether legitimately or through the left's entirely predictable and rampant corruption, but if he loses, then so would any other Republican nominee.

However, all of that is academic, because the die is cast and there's no stopping Donald Trump from becoming the nominee- that is unless the RNC pulls a fast one like they've been hinting at, by passing some rule that they will not accept any candidate under indictment, in which case, they will effectively commit suicide and we'll be guaranteed to have another four years of leftist insanity in the White House. The left can't stop Donald Trump's nomination, but his own party may do just that.

Do the RNC and career Republican politicians hate Donald Trump so much that they fail to realize that having him in the White House for four more years gives them leverage in 2028? It appears so, and this irrationality makes as much sense as everything else they do.

Once again, it demonstrates that we do not have a two-party system; we have the Uniparty, and they don't give a damn about us. Everything they do is self-serving.

Not only did DeSantis fire a dozen staffers, but the campaign is attempting to reinvent itself, staying away from speeches, and more "pressing the flesh", a skill that does not come easy to DeSantis. Plus fundraising is low, spending high, I'm sure because donors are looking elsewhere.

quote:

“Downright low” is how a source who was present when the staffers were fired described morale these days. “The entire campaign is on the brink,” the person said. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

And to pour salt on the wounds, Vivek Ramaswamy has taken the #2 slot in a Kaplan presidential preference poll, perhaps the only Republican other than Trump who sees continued improvement in polling and fundraising.

https://theconservativetreehouse.com

I’ve decided that Ramaswamy is my first choice for POTUS, but I know that’s not going to happen. I’ll vote for DeSantis in the primary, and will most likely have to vote for Trump in the election (for the 3rd time). Ramaswamy is an outsider which is good, he is also the only one who is serious about decoupling from China, which is important since they are our number 1 enemy. Trump took some good steps but didn’t go near far enough, and in my opinion was too worried about short term financial impact, and frankly hurting his personal wealth. I still feel that Trump turns off too many voters to truly be the best candidate in the general election, especially since Justice Thomas is not getting any younger. I will happily support the Republican nominee in the general election, but I have serious concerns about his electability, based upon my own personal experience interacting with voters.

quote:

Originally posted by Lt CHEG:
I have serious concerns about his electability, based upon my own personal experience interacting with voters.

Care to elaborate on that statement?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: nhracecraft,

Well, it's not going to be Ramaswamy. It's not going to be Ron DeSantis. It's going to be Donald Trump.

As my dear old dad would have said: Wish in one hand. Shit in the other. See which one fills up the fastest.

The more politicians dislike (pure hate), the more I love PDJTrump. Trump loves our country to the max.

DeSantis has crossed over into Romney/Pence territory earlier this week, placing blame on Trump for January 6th, saying that he didn't do anything to dissuade the protestors at the Capitol, which is utter horseshit to those who pay attention. But DeSantis has also put out there a reach-across-the-aisle kumbaya moment by saying he wouldn't try to put the "other side in jail", basically an olive branch out to corrupt Democrats. https://theconservativetreehou...-political-civility/

But as Para pointed out, it is moot, DeSantis is virtually finished anyways; he is not generating any excitement with Republicans, and also with the undecided voters, who don't see any real distinction between him and Pence or Christie. DeSantis has a good chance of suffering the same fate as Scott Walker.

As far as Ramaswamy, he smells blood, increasing his attacks on DeSantis, but of course not laying a glove on Trump. He's smart- he knows he will not be the nominee, even though his star continues to rise. But he knows he has an excellent chance at the Trump VP spot, since he is now more MAGA than DeSantis, who has now revealed himself as an Establishment Republican. Ramaswamy is doing a good job in distinguishing himself apart from the rest of the field.

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
Well, it's not going to be Ramaswamy. It's not going to be Ron DeSantis. It's going to be Donald Trump.

As my dear old dad would have said: Wish in one hand. Shit in the other. See which one fills up the fastest.

You’re not wrong, but it’s the same reason I buy a lottery ticket every time they get super large. I know I’m not going to win, but it’s fun to dream. That’s basically my thoughts. More pragmatically, my hope is that Trump and his people will look at the polling numbers, and analyze the data, and perhaps make some adjustments to policies, positions, etc. in response to the data. Trump did an excellent job as president, and I have no doubt that he will do a fine job if re-elected, but I think there’s areas where he could improve and that’s all I’m really hoping for.

quote:

Originally posted by nhracecraft:

quote:

Originally posted by Lt CHEG:
I have serious concerns about his electability, based upon my own personal experience interacting with voters.

Care to elaborate on that statement?

In my recent run for sheriff, first I had to get at least 1,000 signatures from registered Republicans across the county to secure my spot in the primary. Once I was in the primary, I did a ton of outreach to Republicans across my county, which is strongly Republican/conservative leaning.

What I found is that for every 3-4 Republicans that loved Trump, there was 1 that despised him. I literally had dozens of people that slammed the door in my face when I stated that I was seeking signatures for the Republican primary. They said that after Trump they no longer considered themselves Republicans and wouldn’t support a Republican candidate. This is not some double blind, expert verified poll, and I’m most certainly not saying that I trust other national polls either. However, based upon my own experiences talking to thousands of voters in a strongly right leaning county, I have reason to be concerned about his electability. I’m not saying he can’t win, and God knows I’ll support him, but I am concerned based upon real life, actual experiences with living people, not nebulous polls from the dishonest media.

Man, you're in New York, for God's sake and you can call them Republicans or whatever you wish, but where you are, is not representative of the average voter.

Now, we supported your candidacy, and I would appreciate a bit of reciprocity in the form of keeping this stuff to yourself. I don't care how you feel about the man. Just do me a favor and keep the everybody-hates-Trump to yourself, please.

Understood Para.

Vivek is a wolf in sheep's clothing.

He was a pharma executive, was pro-mask, pro-jab, and a Soros foundation member who never voted before 2020.

He is very charismatic. Too polished. He has taken multiple positions on numerous issues.

‘That’s an Awful Lot of Trouble’: Fox News Break Down DeSantis Campaign Woes After Mass Firings

quote:

Not only did DeSantis fire a dozen staffers, but the campaign is attempting to reinvent itself, staying away from speeches, and more "pressing the flesh", a skill that does not come easy to DeSantis. Plus fundraising is low, spending high, I'm sure because donors are looking elsewhere.

DeSantis was wined and dined by the billionaires and millionaires of the "No Trumper Society" the ones who want status quo, tales of POTUS, Millions in his pockets from left over money, Trump going to Jail, Indictments that would lead to Trump losing the nomination as it gets closer.

But, the polls are not moving in his favor (DeSantis) and until all the lower tier candidates drop out, his numbers can't rise, because short of Trump committing some kind of political suicide error, his numbers are not going down, now if he's convicted and jailed, that could change. But DeSantis needs the numbers the others are splitting up of the remaining ballot, then it gets close.

Desantis was shown the bright lights and flinched, he should have said no, not now, not with DJT at these numbers and we'll talk if DJT is convicted and then enter as the White Knight so to speak. That could have been a potential winning strategy, now, his political future outside of FL is tainted.

Maybe he'll do what I suggested, stay FL GOV, run the best run state in the USA then become a Senator for many years for FL, and that is a real possibility.

Maybe that was his plan overall who knows, and now he has millions in hi campaign checking account to use...

quote:

Originally posted by HRK:
the polls are not moving in his favor (DeSantis) and until all the lower tier candidates drop out, his numbers can't rise

Almost weekly, his poll numbers drop, and others (Pence, Ramaswamy) are rising. His money is primarily coming from big ticket corporate and PAC donors, less than 15% from small individual donors, unlike Trump, who generates a large percentage of his money from individuals.

Earlier, I stated that DeSantis fired a dozen campaign staff, but it grew to over three dozen, including senior level folks.

Not likely, but Charles thinks it's still possible...

DeSantis Has Only One Path Back From Failed Launch

By Charles Lipson

Two decades before “Mad Men”-era advertising executives downed their martinis and bedded their secretaries, a brilliant predecessor came up with a powerful idea still in use today. The best way to sell any product or service, he said, was to highlight its single best quality – the one that truly stands out from the competition and benefits consumers directly. That ad man, Rosser Reeves of Ted Bates & Company, dubbed it the “unique selling proposition.” Eight decades later, advertisers and marketers still rely on it.

The failure of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to identify his own “unique selling proposition” is the best explanation for his failure to surge in the polls, despite the high anticipation with which he entered the primaries. There were good reasons for that anticipation. He was one of the country’s most successful governors in one of the largest states. After a narrow victory in his first gubernatorial election, he won reelection in a landslide against a well-known opponent. His presidential aspirations were backed by major donors who considered him the best bet to displace Trump and win the general election. Donald Trump, they feared, carried too much baggage and had already jeopardized the entire ticket in 2018, 2020, and 2022.

Yet DeSantis went wrong almost immediately by choosing the wrong strategy. He emphasized his strong position on conservative social issues, not his state’s economic growth, low regulation, population influx, and Republican electoral success, which turned a purple state into a reliably red one. He has a strong, conservative record on multiple issues, but sinking poll numbers show he chose the wrong ones to highlight. His relaunch wisely emphasizes those kitchen-table issues.

DeSantis was not mistaken in thinking Republican primary voters care about social issues and are bitter those are still controlled (as they see it) by educated elites, entrenched bureaucrats, left-wing judges, teachers’ unions, and woke corporations. He wasn’t mistaken in figuring Republican voters want a fighter who is willing – indeed, eager – to take on those entrenched powers. That pugnacious stance is key to Trump’s appeal within the party and helped refashion its voter base.

DeSantis might have figured that tackling these wedge issues would show he was strong enough to confront elites in Washington, New York, and Silicon Valley. He would show he didn’t care if they hated him, and he was willing to risk votes in the general election to show it.

Where DeSantis went wrong – badly wrong – was in thinking these social issues were Republican voters’ highest priority or could truly distinguish him from his primary opponents. True, grassroots Republicans care a lot about those issues, but they also figure any conservative Republican nominee would care just as much. Those shared views made it hard for DeSantis to differentiate himself from the field, much less from the frontrunner. Small differences about social issues simply weren’t enough reason for primary voters to ditch Trump. They won’t be enough on economic issues, either.

DeSantis had a far better option. That option, that unique selling proposition, is to say, “DeSantis doesn’t talk big. He delivers big.” That would allow him to put his best foot forward and clearly differentiate himself from Trump.

He wouldn’t need to bloviate (something he’s not good at, anyway). He has actually delivered on economic growth for Florida. He has delivered on personal freedom, particularly on school choice and keeping the state open during the COVID pandemic. He resisted the mask mandates, school closings, and business restrictions ordered by Anthony Fauci and the Centers for Disease Control. (Any mention of Fauci would also give him a platform to criticize Trump for retaining him in such a prominent position.) He could point out that Florida’s population is surging, with residents fleeing high-tax blue states in the Northeast and Midwest, eager to benefit from his policies. He could point out that, until he took office, Florida was almost evenly divided between Democrats and Republicans. Now, he could say, his leadership has put it solidly in the Republican column, up and down the ballot.

DeSantis would still have to pass two crucial tests. First, he must link his local success to his national proposals. He’s running for president, not governor. Second, he must contrast his record of successfully implementing conservative policies with Trump’s inflated talk and deflated results. In Texas, they call that braggadocio “all hat and no cattle.” (In Yorkshire, the phrase is even better. “All fur coat and no knickers.”)

Trump can point to two significant domestic policy triumphs: three conservative justices on the Supreme Court and strong economic growth before COVID hit. He can also point to two foreign policy wins: no new wars and the Abraham Accords among longtime foes in the Middle East. He can rightly say he hates entrenched elites in both politics and the economy. He’s eager to butt heads with them, and he’s proven it. Republican voters clearly love those stances.

The problem for Trump’s primary opponents is that they all endorse his major policies and intend to continue them. That congruence rules out those policies as unique selling propositions. That uniformity hurts all of Trump’s challengers equally, but it gives DeSantis an opening if he seizes it. He’s in a strong position to highlight his success in implementing key campaign promises and the former president’s failures.

Trump didn’t lie about his goals. But he vastly overpromised and had no idea how to control Washington’s massive regulatory machine or whom to appoint to crucial administrative and staff positions. He promised, but he couldn’t deliver. Nailing that contrast is DeSantis’ best shot.

Consider Trump’s most prominent campaign promises. How much of the wall with Mexico was actually built? Hardly any. How much did Mexico pay for? None. How much did Trump reduce the deficit, as he promised? It grew. How well did he handle the bureaucracy that is sure to hobble any conservative president? Poorly. The giant flashing billboard for these bureaucratic failures was his retention of Fauci and the administration’s submission to the CDC’s guidance on COVID, including school closings.

Trump has two other potentially devastating weaknesses. Educated voters find him repulsive. That won’t change. Second, he is credibly charged with multiple felonies. Some, like obstructing justice when asked to return classified documents, are easy for voters to grasp. He should have returned them and then litigated for repossession. Instead, he claimed he had the right to keep them under the Presidential Records Act; he tried to hide them from federal investigators and even from his own lawyer, who unwittingly signed a document saying he had searched for these documents and found none. He couldn’t find them because Trump had hidden them. That, the prosecutors will say, shows consciousness of guilt. So does the recently added charge that he worked with aides to try and erase security camera footage showing document boxes being moved secretly.

Oddly, Trump’s legal troubles have not harmed him politically – at least not yet. Sometimes, they’ve helped. When the Department of Justice levels superseding felony charges against him the same week they gift wrap an unprecedented sweetheart deal for Hunter Biden and try to hide the terms from the judge, Republicans are bound to think, “This is worse than a biased, two-tiered system of justice. This isn’t justice at all.”

They certainly reached that conclusion when Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg indicted Trump on a flimsy, novel theory that would create a felony from an old misdemeanor on which the statute of limitations had already expired – if it was even a crime in the first place. They remembered that Bragg had campaigned on his record of going after Trump. Now, he was stretching the law to deliver on that promise. After Bragg’s partisan stunt, the former president’s popularity rose among Republicans.

So far, Special Counsel Jack Smith’s much more serious charges haven’t swayed those voters, either. It’s unclear if still more felony charges related to the Jan. 6 riots or Trump’s efforts to overturn the November election will have any impact on those voters. They ought to be shocked by a conspiracy to overturn a democratic election, but they will rightly demand hard evidence that Trump himself acted illegally, just as Democrats want hard evidence connecting Joe Biden to Hunter’s crimes.

Trump’s legal troubles would be more likely to affect hardline conservatives if Democrats were running a strong candidate. They aren’t. They are running Joe Biden, paired with his unpopular vice president, Kamala Harris, who could step into the Oval Office if Joe can’t make it through a second term. That’s not a remote possibility. Joe’s age, frailty, and periodic confusion are hard to hide. There’s a reason he doesn’t answer questions from the press.

Republican primary voters might think Trump, despite his baggage, can still defeat Biden, whose poll numbers are among the worst of any modern president at this stage. Republican donors and insiders disagree. So do most educated and higher-income Republicans. But, for now, they don’t have a candidate who can displace Trump.

Ron DeSantis could still reemerge as that candidate, despite his dreadful start. He cannot do that with his old, failed strategy. He can’t do it with just the economic program he announced Monday. That will help, but frankly, it doesn’t distinguish him from other candidates. What does distinguish him is his success in implementing strong conservative policies, year after year.

For DeSantis, the road back begins with identifying his Unique Selling Proposition. That shouldn’t be so hard. It’s “Big results, not big promises.”

https://www.realclearpolitics....4a5b81b80fc2192fcf1d

^The article above can list many many reasons why DeSantis is not doing well. The only real reason why he is not doing well is simple. He's not Donald Trump.
Donald Trump is loved by millions. Not liked, loved.

Gavin Newsom Sets Up PAC and Super PAC Fundraising – Ron DeSantis Agrees to Debate Newsom in November

Gee, who woulda thunk? A couple of data points to highlight the construct of something we have predicted for a year. Those who control the illusion of choice within each club, RNC and DNC, have always looked to be constructing a 2024 outcome where Gavin Newsom competes against Ron DeSantis.

First, California Democrat Governor Gavin Newsom has recently set up a Political Action Committee (PAC) and a Super PAC that would seemingly support the perspective of his presidential ambitions.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Gov. Gavin Newsom is taking fundraising steps often used by potential presidential candidates, setting up multiple committees that in their first three months have raised and spent millions of dollars.

The three Newsom-affiliated committees are a political action committee, which limits contributions to $5,000 a year and can donate to individual candidates; a SuperPAC, which can raise unlimited amounts of cash but is restricted from promoting a specific candidate, and a joint fundraising committee, which functions like a bank, mostly collecting and distributing funds to the other groups. (more)

One day later, Ron DeSantis announces on the Moudoch news channel, using the mockingbird broadcaster, that he is willing to debate Gavin Newsom this November. Notice the states, and you will easily be able to guess which one will be selected for the venue.

(Via Politico) – Govs. Ron DeSantis and Gavin Newsom have tentatively agreed to debate — one hosted by Fox News.

The Florida Republican and California Democrat have repeatedly sparred over policies in their respective states, each representing one side of the ideological spectrum though occupying different political perches. DeSantis, a Republican, is trailing former President Donald Trump for the Republican presidential nomination while Newsom, a Democrat, has brushed aside questions about his own presidential ambitions to become a super surrogate of sorts for President Joe Biden.

A showdown between the two seemed unlikely as DeSantis ramped up his presidential campaign. But Newsom still has spent months trying to entice his counterpart into joining him on a stage.

On Wednesday, DeSantis agreed, telling Fox News’ Sean Hannity: “Absolutely I’m game. Just tell me when and where.”

An aide to Newsom told POLITICO that the governor was also in. Newsom’s office had sent a formal request offer to Fox News last week with proposed debate dates of Nov. 8 or Nov. 10. That request called for Hannity to serve as the sole moderator for a 90-minute forum on Fox News that would not include an in-studio audience and would air live.

[…] In his letter, Newsom’s office proposed three separate debate sights: Nevada, Georgia or North Carolina.

Those who control the illusion of choice have to proceed with the planning as if the objective to remove candidate Donald Trump will succeed.

That sets up Joe Biden to announce withdrawal due to medical issues.

Throughout our analysis of the preferred ’24 outcome by those in the background who ultimately seek to control elections through the activity of front men, those artfully skilled at presenting the illusion of choice, it has always looked like the RNC/DNC preferred presentation was a Ron DeSantis -v- Gavin Newsom (win/win) contest.

The landscape of the ’24 election would then be reduced to “social issues” as distinctions between the two faces of the contest, while the economics of things – the substantive part – carries a far lesser contrast. An almost identical replay to the attempted 2016 construct of Hillary -v- Jeb.

In 2016, the RNC/DNC corporations wanted a Hillary v Jeb matchup. That was the outcome of both corporate intents, and all processes were deployed to create that outcome. For 2024, it became obvious last year the corporations wanted a Newsom v DeSantis contest. In that matchup the people who control the financial mechanisms can maintain their status quo. The billionaire funders for DeSantis, RGA/RNC would be quite okay with a Newsom outcome.

https://theconservativetreehou...ovember/#more-249507

If J. Biden can't be the 2024 "Democrat" nominee, and God-forbid, President Trump cannot be the "Republican" 2024 nominee,

who do WE want?

I mean, only the non-billionaires amongst us.

quote:

Originally posted by RichardC:
If J. Biden can't be the 2024 "Democrat" nominee, and God-forbid, President Trump cannot be the "Republican" 2024 nominee,

who do WE want?

I mean, only the non-billionaires amongst us.

Why do you gotta go down that road?