Who Are Trumps 2020 Republican Challengers He Dubbed The Three Stooges
President Donald Trump recycled his own âThree Stoogesâ insult against a trio of Republican Party members running against him in the upcoming 2020 GOP presidential primary.
Trump hurled another âThe Three Stoogesâ remark at former Republican South Carolina governor Mark Sanford Monday after he officially entered the race and became the third GOP challenger to Trump in 2020. Trump previously lumped Sanford in with former Illinois congressman Joe Walsh and former Massachusetts Governor Bill Weld in late August when the president first compared them to the classic comedic trio, when Sanford began claiming Republicans were ârunning for the hillsâ to escape Trumpâs âlies.â
On Monday, Trump again brought up the June 2009 story of how Sanford engaged in an extramarital affair which ultimately led to his resignation from office. Although Sanford later was elected to Congress in 2013, the story of his Argentina affair and his bogus claim of being on an âAppalachian Trailâ hike made him the focus of jokes and ridicule which he has since tried to own.
In late April, Trump first lobbed the âThree Stoogesâ insult at Sanford, Weld and Walsh as they all lined themselves up to primary the president next year. He labeled all three âbadâ while also first calling out Sanford for the scandal.
In 2018, Sanford owned up to the 2009 scandal in an interview with NBC News after he was defeated by a Trump-backed Republican opponent for congress.
Political Activities Up To 2015
Trump’s political party affiliation has changed numerous times. He registered as a Republican in Manhattan in 1987, switched to the Reform Party in 1999, the Democratic Party in 2001, and back to the Republican Party in 2009.
Trump first floated the idea of running for president in 1987, placing full-page advertisements in three major newspapers, proclaiming “America should stop paying to defend countries that can afford to defend themselves.” The advertisements also advocated for “reducing the budget deficit, working for peace in Central America, and speeding up nuclear disarmament negotiations with the Soviet Union“.DCCC chair Rep. Beryl Anthony Jr. told The New York Times that “the message Trump has been preaching is a Democratic message.” Asked whether rumors of a presidential candidacy were true, Trump denied being a candidate, but said, “I believe that if I did run for President, I’d win.” In 1988, he approached Lee Atwater asking to be put into consideration as Republican nominee George H.W. Bush‘s running mate. Bush found the request “strange and unbelievable.” According to a Gallup poll in December 1988, Trump was the tenth most admired man in America.
Election Still Looms Large
For many Trump-endorsed candidates and those with similar platforms, claims about the accuracy of the 2020 presidential election results continue to permeate messaging.
Jacky Eubanks, running for the 63rd state House district in an open primary against St. Clair County Clerk Jay DeBoyer and Algonac City Councilmember Jacob Skarbek, has continued to push claims of fraud in the 2020 election and has made supporting a forensic audit of the results a key part of her campaign.
Michigan State Police investigated Eubanks findings but determined her claims were unfounded, according to recent reporting by The Detroit News.
Eubanks also gained national notoriety for comments in an interview with Church Militant that she would support making birth control illegal, saying that contraceptives give people the false sense of security that they can have consequence-free sex, and thats not true and thats not correct.
Steve Meckley, a candidate challenging sitting Rep. Andrew Fink in the 35th state House district covering Hillsdale and Branch counties, states similar views on his website, calling for a forensic audit of the 2020 presidential election and reforms such as stricter voter ID requirements and public access to signature verification. Meckley has not received an endorsement from Trump directly, but has the support of like-minded Republicans such as state Attorney General candidate Matt DePerno.
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Morse Vs Bolduc Battle On Display In Stratham
State Sen. Chuck Morse, who stopped at the polls Tuesday at Stratham Memorial School, is not happy Democrats have been spending money on advertising designed to help his rival, retired Army Brig. Gen. Don Bolduc of Stratham.
Democrats appear to believe it would be much easier for Hassan to defeat Bolduc than Morse. Morse predicted the strategy would work against Democrats.
I suppose I should thank today because it really ticked off the Republicans in New Hampshire, they dont like Democrats meddling in our primary, Morse said. Ive made it clear from the beginning that I was running against Maggie Hassan and nothings changed on that. I think weve proven that weve accomplished an awful lot in New Hampshire and the Democrats can bring all their money in here, but the people in New Hampshire know what inflation is doing to them and they know what these prices are right now when theyre paying for gas and oil.
Doug Scamman, a Republican from Stratham who was formerly speaker of the House in New Hampshire for three terms, said Tuesday he supports Morse in the U.S. Senate race because of his credibility.
Its very important that gets nominated because hes the one Republican that can beat Maggie Hassan, Scamman said, as he stood with supporters holding signs for Morse outside the polls at Stratham Memorial School. Hes the one person whose history shows that he works with all people. I think he has the skills to work with people in the proper manner.
Former Ambassador To The United Nations Nikki Haley
Haley has changed her tone when it comes to Trump. After saying he let us down and lost any sort of political viability he was going to have following Jan. 6, Haley is, at least publicly, a fan again. During her remarks at the Iowa Republican Party dinner on June 24, Haley praised Trump and told a story about him asking if he should call Kim Jong Un little rocket man during his speech at the U.N. Haley said she cautioned him to treat the audience like church instead of a rally, but he went ahead and used the term.
Haley even sounded kind of Trumpian during her speech, telling Republicans they were too nice. We have to be tough about how we fight, she said. We keep getting steamrolled and then whine and complain about it. The days of being nice should be over.
She also didnt shy away from her gender, opening the speech by saying, America needs more strong conservative women leaders and less of Nancy Pelosi and Kamala Harris, and praising female Iowa Republicans like U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst and Gov. Kim Reynolds. I wear heels, Haley said. Its not for a fashion statement. I use it for kicking. But I always kick with a smile.
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Shelby Of Alabama Is Said To Plan $5 Million Campaign To Boost Former Aide As Senate Replacement Over Trump
Retiring Sen. Richard C. Shelby has said he plans to spend $5 million of his campaign funds to help his former chief of staff in the Republican primary to replace him, according to two people familiar with the conversations.
The massive infusion of cash could have a major impact in the hotly contested race, in which Rep. Mo Brooks , a top proponent of former president Donald Trumps election conspiracies, has struggled to keep up in fundraising after winning the former presidents endorsement.
Shelby, 87, whose 2022 retirement will end six terms in the Senate, has $9.7 million in cash in his campaign account and $6.5 million in his leadership PAC, according to federal records. He has told others that $5 million of it will go to an independent SuperPAC supporting Katie Britt, 39, who after leaving his staff served as the CEO of the Business Council of Alabama, according to two people who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe private conversations.
Blair Taylor, a spokeswoman for Shelby, declined to comment on his spending plans.
The Senators support for Katie is well known, she said in a statement. He will continue to back her as the race develops in whatever ways are most appropriate, as he believes she is the best candidate to serve the people of Alabama.
I entered this race after factoring in that Richard Shelby would probably put millions in on Katie Britts behalf, Brooks said. They are hand in glove.
In Georgia Several Losses And One Victory
Gov. Brian Kemp easily defeated former Senator David Perdue, Mr. Trumps handpicked candidate, in the Republican primary for governor. Mr. Kemp was a Trump target after he refused to overturn the presidents re-election loss there in 2020. He will face the Democratic nominee, Stacey Abrams, whom he narrowly defeated four years ago.
Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, who refused Mr. Trumps demand that he find additional votes after his 2020 loss, defeated a Trump-backed challenger, Representative Jody Hice, in the Republican primary.
Attorney General Chris Carr defeated John Gordon, a Trump-backed opponent, with more than 73 percent of the vote.
In the Republican primary for an open seat in Georgias Sixth Congressional District, the Trump-backed candidate, Jake Evans, qualified for the June 21 runoff, though he was a distant second to the top vote-getter, Rich McCormick.
The former professional football star Herschel Walker, who was endorsed by Mr. Trump, dominated the Republican primary for Senate. He will face Senator Raphael Warnock, a Democrat and prolific fund-raiser, in the general election.
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Loser: The Other Trumpian Candidates Running For Ohio Senate
The GOP primary in Ohio got remarkably vicious at one point it almost got physical considering how much most of the contenders agreed on. Four of the five viable candidates spent considerable time courting Trump, touting how much they had done for him while in office or how much they had liked him all along, while Vance went out of his way to say how wrong he had been when he was saying all those nasty things about Trump.
Josh Mandel a former state treasurer who was endorsed by other high-profile Republican figures including Sen. Ted Cruz and former Trump National Security Adviser Michael Flynn had fought hard to show his fealty to Trump and told him endorsing Vance would be a mistake. A polling firm connected to his campaign even suggested that endorsing Vance wouldnt give him enough of a bump to put him in fourth place.
Former state GOP Chair Jane Timken, whose tenure in that job came while Trump was in office, argued that the other candidates in the race were just pretenders and that she was the real Trump conservative, as one TV ad stated.
And millionaire investment banker Mike Gibbons described himself and Trump as kindred businessmen with a backbone, claiming that he would save the Ohio economy just as Trump saved our economy before.
With The Primaries Over Both Parties Are Shifting Their Focus To The General Election On Nov 8
- Midterm Data: Could the 2020 polling miss repeat itself? Will this election cycle really be different? Nate Cohn, The Timess chief political analyst, looks at the data in his new newsletter.
- Democrats Dilemma: The partys candidates have been trying to signal their independence from the White House, while not distancing themselves from President Bidens base or agenda.
And David Farnsworth won a State Senate primary against Rusty Bowers, the Arizona House speaker who drew Trump supporters fury for resisting efforts to overturn the 2020 election and for testifying before the Jan. 6 congressional committee.
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Trump Faces Rising Chances Of A 2024 Primary Challenge
The prospect that former President Trump could face challengers from his own party in 2024 is growing even as the former president inches ever closer to another White House run.
Though Trump has not officially declared his candidacy for president, hes all but said its a matter of when not if. And while the former president waves off the chances of another Republican beating him for the nomination, there are growing signs he could face a formidable primary challenge once the race kicks into high gear.
Recent polling suggests many GOP voters are ready to move on from Trump. And as the Jan. 6 hearings continue to pile scrutiny on the former president, other prospective 2024 Republicans are making the rounds in early voting states, drawing fresh speculation that theyre planning to take on the de facto leader of the party.
A New York Times-Siena College poll released this week found that 49 percent of Republican primary voters said they would back the former president. But 47 percent said they would support another GOP nominee.
People are open to another candidate, said Republican strategist Saul Anuzis. Looking at, from a futuristic standpoint, who are some of the younger, newer Republican leaders who are emerging around the country.
And those younger Republican leaders are crisscrossing the country and testing the waters.
But its Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis who has gotten the most attention as a potential alternative to Trump.
A Long History As An Anti
The daughter of a longtime Wyoming state legislator, Hageman, 59, was born and raised on a small ranch outside Fort Laramie, Wyoming. She’s married to Cheyenne-based malpractice attorney John Sundhal.
After earning a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Wyoming and a juris doctor degree from the University of Wyoming College of Law, she worked as a law clerk for federal appeals judge before building a decades-long career as a water and natural resources lawyer throughout Wyoming, Nebraska and Colorado.
Hageman has long sparred with environmentalists over her anti-conservation record, a background that earned her the title “Wicked Witch of the West” — something she embraced. She became known in Wyoming for suing federal agencies over land use decisions and a successful battle to end a Clinton-era policy to halt road construction on millions of acres of federal land.
She claims to have “stopped the EPA from seizing control of our irrigation infrastructure and operations,” and prevented the USDA from enforcing the registration of all ranches with the federal government.
“I have been fighting back against Federal agencies that try to usurp our rights with overbearing regulations. I’ve never allowed my Conservative values to be shaken in the face of Left-Wing ideologues,” she has written on her website.
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Schumer Admits Pelosi Is In Trouble For Midterms: Report
Palin, the late Sen. John McCains running mate in the 2008 presidential election, is running against fellow Republican Nick Begich and Democrat Mary Petrola in a ranked-choice election.
Begich, a businessman from a family of prominent Democrats, has come out hard against Palin, seeking to cast her as a fame-chaser and a quitter after she resigned during her term as governor in 2009. In one Begich ad, a woman says: Im voting for smart not Sarah.
Palin does not have a strong track record of effective advocacy for the state and thats not going to work for us, Begich said in an interview.
His attacks have hit close to home for the former governor Palins former in-laws hosted an election eve fundraiser for Begich at their Wasilla home, the Anchorage Daily News reported.
Palin, meanwhile, has questioned Begichs Republican credentials.
Peltola, a former lawmaker, would be the first Alaska Native woman elected to the House.
If one of the three candidates wins more than 50% of the first-choice vote, they will take Youngs seat. If that doesnt happen, the candidate with the fewest first-place votes is eliminated and that candidates voters have their ballots redistributed to their second choice. The process continues until one candidate receives at least 50% of the vote.
Trump endorsed Palin in April, just days after she announced her candidacy.
With Post wires
Who Could Beat Donald Trump In 2024
Analysis by Chris Cillizza, CNN Editor-at-large
Politico asked Mick Mulvaney, who served as chief of staff to then-President Donald Trump, who he believed had a chance to beat his former boss for the Republican nomination in 2024.
” DeSantis could give him a run for his money. Tim Scott can give him a run for his money. Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson could give him a run for his money. It’s a short list.”1) Ron DeSantiseven if 2) Tim Scott3) Dwayne “The Rock” JohnsonThe Point: Is it possible that Trump gets a serious primary challenge in 2024? Sure. Is it likely? Not at all.
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Can We Expect Anything Other Than Biden Vs Trump In 2024
A FiveThirtyEight Chat
Welcome to FiveThirtyEights politics chat. The transcript below has been lightly edited.
sarah : We know the 2022 midterm elections havent happened yet, but this summer has seen an unusual amount of activity on the 2024 front.
Namely, many Americans, including Democrats, are really down on the idea of President Biden seeking a second term, while former President Donald Trump continues to dominate the news cycle. A sizable portion of Americans say they dont want Biden or Trump to have a second term, but is there, uh a path for anyone who isnt Trump or Biden in 2024?
Lets tackle this chat in two parts:
OK, first up. Is there a Democrat who can take on Biden?
alex : I dont think so, Sarah, especially if Trump is the nominee. If Trump announces that hes running for a second term, I think: 1) Biden will run again, and 2) there wont be a damaging primary to take him down.
What Democrat is going to take Biden on against Trump? Democrats will coalesce around the nominee who can beat Trump, and Biden has already proved that he can.
alex: Right, Nathaniel. I just dont see notable Democrats wanting to participate in a messy, protracted primary against the sitting president. It would be a terrible look for the party.
nrakich: Yes!
