Trio's Trap Treads Into Trump Tramp

Trump may be trouncing GOP wanna-bes BUT subtle red flag is Marquette Law’s Wisconsin poll showing DeSantis virtually even with Big D in that swing state. Meanwhile, SC’s “untouchable” black Tim Scott lurks in key Southern primary; & who dat Youngkin in Virginny?

There’s got to be a reason so many Republicans have launched presidential campaigns, despite Mr. Trump’s presumptive nomination for a repeat match with 80-yr-old Joe. They undoubtedly smell blood in the water & not just because of No. 45’s legal woes that haven’t dented his popularity. DeSantis may be getting heat for his “abrasive” demeanor & “stalled” campaign; yet he confidently dismissed his early mediocre poll numbers by saying, “I’m the guy who can beat Biden.” Actually, that Marquette poll in the key electoral state shows Biden still nudging out the Florida governor in a head-to-head. But, is there any doubt the articulate debater & aggressive consensus building DeSantis knows he can get a bushelful of fence-sitting Cheeseheads to vote Republican; whereas that same skill set is arguably Trump’s Achilles heel?

And, as William Galston notes in his WSJ “Could Tim Scott Pull an Upset” by beating ‘em both? Scott’s “affable presence” contrasts with the grumpy-leaning Trump & DeSantis while he’s got an even better “life story” as an African-American who rose from humble beginnings. Given that the early primary held in his home state has been a bellwether for the entire South, WHAT IF Scott does decent in Iowa & NH, then, whips them all in South Carolina? And, what are those resilient rumors about Virginia’s unannounced gov Glenn Youngkin as a “go-to” alternative should Trump’s GOP coronation stall? While anti-woke centrist, pro-parent Youngkin’s approval ratings in Va have dropped a bit, they still shine compared to Trump’s or Biden’s, esp among Indies. A lot of “what ifs.” But, Mr. Trump’s advisors have surely warned him about the need to keep the pedal to the metal, if in a more “affable” & policy-focused way.

Davd Soul