Leading Republicans like former Pres.Trump, and at least two possible 2024 White House contenders, are increasingly focused on battles around LGBTQ issues and education.
Among the GOP grassroots, though, the mood is different, some in the party told ABC News -- which could be crucial in deciding who is nominated in the next general election.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, thought to be Trump's biggest rival in the 2024 primary -- though he has pushed back on questions about his future -- has waged a high-profile fight to get the Advanced Placement course on African American studies revised in his state. Perhaps the issue that's gotten the most attention among the prospective primary field is transgender rights.
Noem signed legislation in South Dakota to ban gender-affirming care for minors, arguing at the time that “South Dakota’s kids are our future. With this legislation, we are protecting kids.” And former Vice President Mike Pence's advocacy group Advancing American Freedom is set to rally conservatives against transgender-affirming policies in schools with a public relations blitz.
"Last year’s midterms elections are proof that while this may gain votes from the most fringe voters in the primaries, it’s backfires in the general elections. Most Americans agree that there are higher priorities, like the rising cost of living, than attacking transgender people," Heng-Lehtinen said.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks after being sworn in to begin his second term during an inauguration ceremony outside the Old Capitol Jan. 3, 2023, in Tallahassee, Fla."When it comes to some of the public education stuff, the [critical race theory] stuff, the transgender stuff, especially with kids, I don't think there's a primary electorate risk for going too far whatsoever," said a longtime Trump aide close to his 2024 team, who asked not to be quoted by name.
"I think people ... want to have a community that they're comfortable living in and don't want things, particularly in schools, pushed down on their kids that they don't believe in. But the bigger issues end up being the economic ones. What's happening in terms of inflation, where are we going to have growth in the economy so we can continue to prosper?" said Club for Growth President David McIntosh.
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