Trump’s looming involvement in the primary will test his political power in the GOP like never before, as he seeks to punish the most high-profile House Republican to vote for his impeachment in January.
It is likely that Republicans will be making a huge mistake.
According to one senior aide to Donald Trump, the former president is all but certain to run again.
"I would say somewhere between 99 and 100 percent,"
Jason Miller told Cheddar earlier this month when asked about the chances that Trump runs again. "I think he is definitely running in 2024."
If that is true, a Trump candidacy would be devastating to the Republican Party. With recent laws passed by Republicans in Texas -- a draconian abortion law, an election law designed to restrict voting, a gun law that will turn the streets of El Paso into the O.K. Corral -- faith in today's Republican Party is at an all-time low.
The Democrats are drooling over a Trump run in 2024. Trump got drilled by seven million votes in 2020. If the Republicans run Trump in 2024, it could be 15 million this time.
A Trumpian effort in 2024 seems likely. According to
Chris Cillizza, "There's this from Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan during a stop in Iowa -- eyes emoji! -- last week. "I think he's gonna run,"
Jordan said of Trump. "I want him to run. He's proven he can take the heat.'"
"Now, Trump himself hasn't been as conclusive but he has made very clear he is leaning toward getting into the 2024 race.
Trump was barely coy about his future plans in an interview with conservative pundit Candace Owens. "As you know, it's very early," Trump told Owens. "But I think people are going to be very, very happy when I make a certain announcement."
Trump has commitment issues, and he loves drama.
Politico wrote in May:
"Trump is confiding in allies that he intends to run again in 2024 with one contingency: that he still has a good bill of health, according to two sources close to the former president. That means Trump is going to hang over the Republican Party despite its attempts to rebrand during his exile and its blockade of a Trump-centric investigation into January's insurrection."