‘We’re ready for a rematch’: Trump foes and democracy experts hit out at alleged plan to announce 2024 run a week after the midterms

‘Trump wants to be part of midterm conversation ... even if some congressional Republicans wish he’d wait’

Gustaf Kilander
Washington, DC
Friday 04 November 2022 14:57 GMT
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Related video: ‘Get ready’: Trump says he will ‘very probably’ run again for president in 2024

Donald Trump’s allies are planning a potential announcement of a 2024 presidential run on 14 November, according to a report.

The announcement would be followed up by several days of events, Axios reported.

The former president and his associates have been hinting for quite some time that a 2024 announcement was coming.

Allies are now clearing their schedules and getting ready to travel during the week following the midterms on 8 November.

Mr Trump is hoping to use the expected success of the Republicans in the midterms to create momentum for his own White House bid, as he’s set to take credit for any and all GOP wins, Axios noted.

The former president has been looking to announce his campaign right after the midterms for a while as he hopes to get out ahead of possible contenders such as Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.

Mr Trump has recently been getting closer and closer to saying that he will run, enjoying the elation from his supporters every time he hints that a campaign is imminent.

“In order to make our country successful and safe and glorious, I will very, very, very probably do it again ... Get ready that’s all I’m telling you – very soon. Get ready,” he said at a rally in Sioux City, Iowa on Thursday.

Journalist Greg Bluestein of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution tweeted that the announcement could come “right smack in the middle of a potential Senate runoff here in Georgia”.

The plans remain in flux and could still change depending on the midterm results on Tuesday, particularly if the Georgia Senate race does go to a run-off between Republican challenger Herschel Walker and Democratic incumbent Raphael Warnock, according to Axios.

“Following @jonathanvswan, two Trump advisers tell @CBSNews this morn that Nov 14 is on the radar but with nothing set in stone. They say Trump wants to be part of midterm conversation next Tuesday — and during lame duck — even if some congressional Republicans wish he’d wait,” journalist Robert Costa tweeted.

“How can any rational person support this man? I have no bid for Libs but this man is odious evil and destructive,” one Twitter user said.

NBC News investigative reporter Max Hixenbaugh tweeted: “It’s begun. Business-as-usual news articles about Trump’s 2024 run with zero mention — not even a clause — noting that he’s been working to overthrow American democracy based on lies about voter fraud, inspiring a violent attack on the US Capitol.”

MSNBC producer Steve Benen added: “In case this isn’t obvious, the Nov 14 date is notable: When the Jan 6 committee subpoenaed Trump, the panel gave him a Nov 14 deadline for testimony.”

“I’d switch every last dollar to an urgent, generic warning about the imminent danger to the nation, that he may as well be on the ballot, and giving him supportive majorities in both houses would be a grave error that could not be corrected in 2024,” the Rebovich Institute tweeted.

“This MUST be talked about in the closing days of #Election2022 by Democrats,” Matt Walton wrote.

Dartmouth political science professor Brendan Nyhan added that “91 per cent of political science experts view another Trump candidacy as a threat to democracy, including 35 per cent who rate the threat as extraordinary and 39 per cent who rate it as serious”.

“We’re ready for a rematch,” the Lincoln Project tweeted.

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