The next Iowa political convention and the New Hampshire presidential primaries are still more than three years away, but what some considered the first call for cattle in the 2024 race for the White House will happen next week.
That’s when the National Republican Committee (RNC) holds its annual winter meeting, which will be held in person on Amelia Island, Florida, from January 6-8.
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While the re-election of President Ronna McDaniel and the choice of vice presidents and other officials top the agenda, the meeting of the 168 committee members and other prominent Republican Party officials will also be an opportunity for some of the potential candidates for the next nomination Republican presidential candidate to make friends and build ties with the party’s top activists, fund-raisers and rain-makers.
At the top of the list of potential White House candidates in the confabulation will be President Trump, who is expected to address the crowd on the second day of the meeting.
President Trump raises his fist at the end of a demonstration to support Republican Senate candidates at Valdosta Regional Airport in Valdosta, Georgia, on December 5, 2020. (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP via Getty Images)
Trump, who continues to fight for the results of the 2020 elections and refuses to grant President-elect Joe Biden, publicly hinted in early December that another presidential campaign may be at stake.
“It has been an incredible four years. We are trying to do another four years. Otherwise, I will see you in four years,” the president told supporters at a White House holiday party for RNC members. Two Republican Party sources who attended the function confirmed the president’s comments to Fox News.
Behind closed doors, Trump told advisers that he wants to run again in four years and that he can announce his offer before or even during Biden’s inauguration on January 20, according to a report by Fox News correspondent at the White House, John Roberts.
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The president is scheduled to speak on the RNC’s confabulation the day after a joint session of Congress is widely expected to certify the victory of the Biden Electoral College by 306-232 after objections from some Republicans pro-Trump House and the Senate.
Trump will not be the only potential candidate for 2024 at the RNC meeting.
Vice President Mike Pence, who is likely to have presidential ambitions, is also expected to attend.
Vice President Mike Pence speaks during a “Save the Most” rally on Thursday, December 10, 2020 in Augusta, Georgia (AP Photo / John Bazemore)
And Fox News confirmed earlier this month that a lot of other potential White House candidates were also invited. The list includes former United Nations ambassador and former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley, Senators Tom Cotton of Arkansas, Ted Cruz of Texas, Josh Hawley of Missouri, Tim Scott of South Carolina, Marco Rubio and Rick Scott of Florida and Govs. Ron DeSantis from Florida and Kristi Noem from South Dakota.
“RNC members represent the grassroots across the country and, therefore, is an important place for potential ’24 candidates to come and talk about their vision for the country,” a member of the national party’s committee told Fox News. Mississippi longtime Henry Barbour.
Despite facing the first annulment of his presidential veto, Trump remains extremely influential among Republican lawmakers and his popularity among Republican base voters and other Trump supporters remains high.
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Trump has made it clear that he intends to remain heavily involved in Republican Party politics after leaving the White House on January 20. He established a leadership PAC immediately after the November election, and much of the fundraising in the past two years for his moves to contest the election results is being directed towards the new organization. Trump also endorsed McDaniel – a great ally – for another term on the RNC. And he targets Republicans, as governors. Brian Kemp of Georgia and Mike DeWine of Ohio and Senator John Thune of South Dakota – all running for re-election in 2022 – for refusing to help him alter the results of the presidential election or for recognizing the victory of Biden.
Trump’s presidential approval rating among Republicans remained in the stratosphere. It was 86% in a national Fox News poll and 90% in an NPR / PBS / Marist poll, both conducted in early December.
The percentage of Republicans who want Trump to run for president again in 2024 – 71% in the Fox News poll and 57% in the NPR / PBS / Marist poll – is significantly lower, but is still a very solid majority.
It was a similar story in a national USA Today / Suffolk University survey conducted last week. Nine out of 10 Republicans gave a positive signal for the work Trump is doing in the White House – with 71% of them saying they would vote for Trump again in 2024 if he ran.
No other potential Republican White House candidate comes close.
Nearly two-thirds of Republicans in New Hampshire, the state that holds the first primary election in the White House race, say they would like to see Trump make an offer in 2024 to return to the White House. This is according to a survey by the University of New Hampshire (UNH) conducted in November.
“Until Republicans find an obvious person to replace Trump, he will be seen as the favorite in 2024,” noted UNH Survey Center director Andrew Smith.
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Barbour emphasized that “it is clear that Trump is the favorite. He is the president of the United States. He has been a different force than we have seen in recent decades among the American people.”
But while looking at Trump’s “favorite” status at this extremely early point in the next race for the White House, Barbour predicted that “like the 16th cycle, this will be an open race and there will be an opportunity for others to emerge, but they will have to to perform, just like President Trump. “