Trump convention kicks off 2024

Haley will join a slate of potential 2024 Republican presidential candidates on prime-time television for the virtual convention – each looking for the kind of breakout moment that helped catapult Barack Obama to the presidency. South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton and Iowa Senator Joni Ernst are expected to speak, as is South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, whom Haley appointed to the Senate. The same goes for Vice President Mike Pence and Trump’s son Donald Trump Jr.

The 2024 primary “will be a battle for the soul of the party, and the race for the job has already started,” said Republican strategist Mike DuHaime, who helped lead the former governor’s 2016 presidential candidacy. Jersey, Chris Christie.

Part of the jockey is clearly visible, and part takes place behind the scenes.

Two Senate primaries provided a first window into how the candidates are positioning themselves. As Cotton aided former establishment-backed Ambassador Bill Hagerty in Tennessee, the senses. Rand Paul of Kentucky and Ted Cruz of Texas backed the insurgent candidate, trauma surgeon Manny Sethi. (Hagerty won.) And while Cotton threw his weight behind the retired brigadier. General Don Bolduc in the upcoming New Hampshire primary, Paul supports the outsider who describes himself as Corky Messner.

Potential 2024 candidates are also auditioning for key contributors. Cotton recently appeared at a donor conference in Jackson Hole, Wyo., Hosted by Minority House Leader Kevin McCarthy. Pence phoned a conference call hosted by the Republican Jewish Coalition, which is partly funded by the mega-honorable Sheldon Adelson. Florida Senator Rick Scott spoke to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell about running the Republican National Senate Committee, a position that would give him entry to party backers.

Some early clues have emerged about the major donors the candidates cultivate. Contributors to Paul’s Super PAC include CFO Jeffrey Yass, food processor owner Chris Rufer and investor George Macricostas. All of them have a history of donating to libertarian causes.

Cotton’s super PAC received funding from two wanted Republican megadonors: Paul Singer, a billionaire hedge fund manager who shares the Arkansas senator’s hawkish approach to foreign policy, and the investment banker of the ‘Arkansas Warren Stephens.

Some potential candidates are heading to the first primary states despite the pandemic. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo took a break from his busy overseas travel schedule for a recent appearance at the Iowa Head of Households Summit, a regular stopover for presidential candidates. Paul is expected to campaign this fall for congressional candidates from New Hampshire and South Carolina. Noem is expected to headline a September political dinner in Iowa and is expected to make a pre-election appearance in New Hampshire to campaign for Trump.

In other cases, potential White House candidates are using the 2020 election to develop alliances that could pay off in four years. Cruz has long been criticized for not getting along with his colleagues, but the Texas senator aims to raise millions of dollars for the House candidates on the downside by hosting a donors’ conference in Aspen, Colo. This week. .

Earlier this year, Rick Scott invited half a dozen Republicans to the election in his private plane to attend a series of fundraisers across Florida.

Tim Scott, the only black Republican in the Senate, has endorsed candidates under Project Empower America, an organization dedicated to party diversification. Paul has been among the most aggressive, spending millions on his super PAC to boost Republican candidates.

“The Iowa caucus is 840 days away. Candidates who don’t use these opportunities to prepare are making a big mistake, ”said Republican strategist Jeff Roe, who has worked on previous presidential campaigns. “Any opportunity to grow your brand, build your list and show political strength should be taken advantage of.”

“In 2024, people are going to ask you what you did in 2020 to get the president re-elected, save the Senate and win the House,” Roe added. “Where were you when it mattered?”

The precocious jockey caught the attention of the White House. Last week, several assistants circulated a new survey showing Pence leading in a potential 2024 GOP primary, followed by Donald Trump Jr. and Haley. While Pence has focused his attention on the 2020 competition, his activity has at times straddled the early voting states: the vice president visited Iowa last week and pitched the candidate to Congress from New Hampshire, Matt Mowers, to party donors.

Pence has been in contact with prominent conservative groups. He called on conference calls this summer organized by the Heritage Foundation, abortion rights opponent Susan B. Anthony List and FreedomWorks.

The most pressing question for future candidates is how – or if – they will align themselves with Trump. While Cotton and Rick Scott have made the very unusual decision to run television commercials supporting the president, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan has written a new book in which he blames the president for being “everywhere” in response to the coronavirus.

Nebraska Senator Ben Sasse, another critic of Trump, is focused on helping the re-election of fellow senators, not the president. A person close to Sasse said that after defeating a main pro-Trump opponent this spring, the Nebraska senator will raise funds and campaign for vulnerable senators. Sasse has already helped a list of starters, including Ernst.

Others take advice from some of Trump’s closest associates. Noem received informal advice from Trump’s 2016 campaign manager Corey Lewandowski. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has been in regular contact with Brad Parscale, who until recently led Trump’s re-election campaign.

Some potential 2024 contenders are making cameos in the president’s re-election effort: Florida Senator Marco Rubio recently took part in a Trump-hosted conference call and criticized then-Democratic Vice President Karen Bass for her point of view. view of Cuba.

Next week’s convention will provide the biggest stage yet. Donald Trump Jr. wrote his speech with George Mason University Law School Professor Frank Buckley and former White House aides Cliff Sims and Andrew Surabian. Buckley helped younger Trump write the fiery 2016 convention speech that helped him become a Conservative. (Despite widespread speculation, Trump Jr.’s allies insist he has no interest in running for president in 2024.)

Not everyone in the 2024 mix is ​​sure to speak. While the schedule is still being finalized at the start of the week, Cruz and Missouri Senator Josh Hawley are not expected to have spots. It’s unclear whether Rick Scott or Paul will.

Long criticized for their lack of diversity in their ranks, Republicans say they seek to showcase members of minorities and women during the convention. They also want to give Trump’s non-political supporters a platform.

Republicans predict that a Trump defeat would hasten the 2024 primary, with candidates vying for which direction the party should take.

“I think it starts with a circular firing squad first,” said Republican strategist Terry Sullivan, who was Rubio’s campaign manager in 2016. “There will be a lot of blame going on.”