The Republican Party is gearing up for a critical series of presidential primaries. What course the party takes leading up to the 2024 presidential election will be vital to a successful bid to retake the White House. The important thing for conservatives to realize is that accomplishing that goal may determine whether the U.S. remains a democracy.
Government by and for the people is being threatened like never before. If the liberal left can secure control of the White House for another four years, it may become impossible to change the dangerous course our country is on. Conservatives need to look at the upcoming primaries as a fierce “scrimmage game” between players from the same “red team.”
When sports teams participate in intra-squad scrimmages, it is usually to determine who the team’s best players are. Those who perform well in scrimmage games make the starting lineup. While the other players can provide vital support to the “best players on the team,” those who “win the scrimmage games” are invariably those who face off against the opposition team.
The list of players stepping forward to play in the upcoming presidential primaries is currently but a limited few. Most agree that the field is going to grow. How big it grows will be an important part of how these “scrimmages” play out. One man is already suiting up. Former President Donald Trump is a formidable player for others to deal with.
He is still wildly popular with a large portion of the conservative base. However, other viable players will most certainly “step on the field.” One of those is said to be President Trump’s former vice president, Mike Pence. Pence appears to be setting himself up to enter the “Republican scrimmage game.”
Maybe it’s just a little ironic that the former V.P. spoke recently at the annual “Gridiron Dinner.” But it wasn’t the notion that Pence was speaking at the event. It was what he said. The former second in command started to put some distance between himself and his party’s leading candidate for president. He put his former boss right in his sights.
Pence talked about January 6, 2021. He said, “Make no mistake about it; what happened that day was a disgrace.” But he clearly indicated he blamed his former boss, at least on some level, for the chaos that happened. His most blistering comment during his speech was, “I know that history will hold Donald Trump accountable for that day.”
As of the writing of this post, Trump has not responded to Pence's comments.
The Republican field for the 2024 presidential nominee is expected to be full of strong candidates. One of those is the former president seeking to retake the White House. Another appears to be his former “wingman.” There will be more. The Republican primaries are setting themselves up to be heated scrimmages between players from the same team.
In essence, that’s what will happen. A series of “scrimmages” will be held across the country. Republicans will watch each presidential candidate perform. As if we’re all a collective group of coaches, we will determine the starting players for the “big game” in November 2024. Who we choose to battle the opposition will have consequences.
Republican voters must choose wisely. But Republicans must also keep in mind that they are all on the same team. Just like a sports team, conservatives must collectively band together regardless of who wins “the scrimmage games.” The nation cannot withstand four more years of inept and destructive leadership. We must pick a winner. Conservatives must pick the player who can hit, run, and field better than the rest, and then stand behind that player, regardless.