At a Republican Jewish Coalition meeting, even Trump fans applauded calls to look past him as party leaders, donors reel from disappointing midterms.
Their pitches at the RJC event — an unofficial kickoff of the presidential primary season — made clear that Republicans are not running scared of Trump and are even eager for the contest, as disappointing midterm results have set off a cascade of hand-wringing and finger-pointing in the party.
Sununu said in an interview that as governor of a first-in-the-nation primary state, he plans to take responsibility for urging stragglers to drop out.“People want to move on, there’s no doubt about that,” said Sununu, who is not ruling out a run of his own and said of Trump: “He’ll have to fight for it like everybody else.”
At a private dinner Thursday for RJC donors and VIPs, Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said Republicans needed to avoid factionalism and unify like family, according to several people present. Speaking after McDaniel, Christie picked up on the metaphor — and said the family needed to hash things out.“We have to have this discussion out in the open,” Christie said Saturday in his public remarks, going on to criticize Trump’s long, singular grip on the party.
“I really don’t see the establishment wing of the Republican Party coming back,” said Ari Fleischer, a White House press secretary in the George W. Bush administration. “Not in this cycle. I do see a legitimate fair fight that can take place over this populist outsider element that is now the new dynamic of the Republican conservative movement.”
The doubts extend even to supporters of Trump’s false insistence that the 2020 election was stolen. Lew Sanders, a local GOP official in Arizona who echoes Trump’s election claims, said he would back DeSantis in 2024 “without question” — and has heard from many Republicans concerned that Trump hurt their chances in the midterms. “I’ve heard it so many times it makes me want to throw up,” he said.
Trump also admonished some American Jews for not appreciating Israel, echoing his October social media post that the White HouseTrump advisers have brushed off his potential rivals as runners-up and has-beens who languish in early polls. A crowded field could work to his advantage by splitting the opposition, as in 2016.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
DeSantis, Scott and Trump to address Republican Jewish Coalition in 1st presidential 'cattle call'Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Florida Sen. Rick Scott are making in-person appearances and former President Trump, the only announced Republican presidential candidate, will appear via videoconference.
Read more »
DeSantis Highlights Florida, Israel Successes at Republican Jewish CoalitionFlorida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) delivered the keynote address at the annual gala dinner at the Republican Jewish Coalition leadership meeting, receiving a standing ovation from activists and donors.
Read more »
Nikki Haley hints at 2024 presidential run during Republican Jewish Coalition speech: 'I've never lost'Nikki Haley commented on the 2024 presidential elections and whether or not she would run during a speech at at the Republican Jewish Coalition annual meeting in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Read more »
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz confirms he will seek a third term in 2024Speaking to the Republican Jewish Coalition in Las Vegas, the Texas Republican said he would seek reelection, but he also did not rule out running for president.
Read more »
Trump receives standing ovation at Republican gathering as rivals lash outIn his first major appearance since announcing his intention to run again in 2024, ex-US leader Donald Trump says 'Republican Party is a much bigger and more powerful party than it was before I got there.'
Read more »