(NewsNation) — Former President Donald Trump launching his 2024 presidential bid got us thinking: If Democrats’ logic holds true on ultra-MAGA candidates, it’s a lot easier to beat Trump than to beat Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
So here’s the question: Will Democrats fund Trump’s reelection bid like they funded Trump-endorsed candidates in the 2022 Republican primaries for the midterms? I’m serious. It’s a legitimate question.
In New Hampshire, Democrats spent $3.2 million boosting election denier Don Bolduc in the primary against a far more moderate Republican.
They spent $1.2 million helping Doug Mastriano, a Trump disciple, win the Pennsylvania governor’s primary. And they spent $425,000 to help John Gibbs, who represents everything President Biden means when he says “ultra mega MAGA Republican.”
Again, these are far right Republicans funded in the primary by Democrats. Forget for a second how insanely disingenuous that is. Forget that Biden gave speeches worrying about election deniers and threats to democracy while his party funded far right Republicans. This is politics. It’s Washington.
As Churchill said, politics is the second oldest profession, which closely resembles the first.
Say what you want, but the Democrats’ strategy worked. Democrats beat the ultra-MAGA candidate in New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and Michigan. Poll results show they would have had a much harder time against a normal Republican.
So consider the Republican presidential primary right now with the theoretical matchup between DeSantis, a young, charming, successful, charismatic governor, versus Donald Trump for the primary. Fill in the adjectives for Trump of your choosing.
Current polling from Club for Growth shows DeSantis, who has not yet launched a presidential bid, up in key states such as Iowa, New Hampshire, Florida and Georgia.
The past election proved one thing: When running against Trump candidates, Democrats cleaned up. When running against normal Republicans, Democrats lost every high profile race. That’s especially true in swing states.
In Georgia, the anti-Trump Republican governor won, the Trump-endorsed Herschel Walker came in second. Standby for the runoff.
In New Hampshire, the Trump skeptical Republican governor won, the Trump sycophant Senate candidate lost big. I could keep going. And remember, DeSantis just won Florida by 20 points. He won heavily Hispanic, historically blue Miami-Dade County. That fact terrifies Democrats.
So if you put all that together, why wouldn’t Democratic dark money groups help Trump in the primary? After all, it worked in the midterms.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author, and not of NewsNation.