Opinion: The 2024 Republican Presidential primary will be a disjointed mess that will highlight to the American people that there are better options for our fragile country.
———-
Election season is nearly here and soon we will all succumb to countless aggressive ads claiming to be the better candidate for president. Personally, I am not looking forward to this period, especially because of how fragile our country currently finds itself to be.
The stability of our nation depends on who the people decide to run it. Currently, President Joe Biden claims the throne to the executive branch as a staunch neo-liberal. But only a few years ago our country was run by the unfortunate anomaly of former President Donald Trump. Trump’s presidency created a consequential sub-culture of far-right extremism known as MAGA-ism. As we all know, his presidency was an embarrassment to the entire world as Trump attempted to tear apart our country by targeting our biggest weakness: hate. This hate showed the world its true colors on January 6, 2021, as our democracy was nearly destroyed.
Hate will continue as the Grand Old Party scrambles to win the succession of being the representative of conservative America. The GOP, fortunately for America, is looking eerily fragmented and unorganized. Many candidates have announced their run for election, such as former Vice President Mike Pence, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, ex-Trump fanboy Chris Christie and political chameleon Nikki Haley. These are the realistic contenders who will be directly facing off against Trump and his MAGA followers. One of the reoccurring themes that will be emphasized throughout the Republican primary is far-right extremism and how much of an appetite the American people will allow it to last.
How is this a good thing for America?
If the Republican party is left to tear itself apart, it will make it easier for the people to see why they should not be in charge. For example, Trump has made it known to his followers thatDeSantis will be his biggest rival and has decided to call him names. Playground insults are an embarrassment to American politics and should be a warning to traditional Republicans to stay away from Trump’s extremism.
Unfortunately for the traditional American Republicans who hold conservative and religious values, their options are limited to Pence. The former vice president and LGBTQ+ villain helped Trump earn the evangelical vote in 2016 and will now take away those voters from Trump. Although, it is unlikely that Pence’s run for president will go far.
The only real threat to Trump is DeSantis, who is hoping to be a continuation of the Trump administration’s policies without the scandals. DeSantis was once a firm believer in Trumpism but has now made a name for himself as the new surging leader for the Republican party. As governor, he has signed bills aimed at limiting race and sexuality discourse in academic establishments, which made him even more popular among the right-wing populations.
The Republican primary will be a battle of two evils, left to the whims of the American people. Hopefully, the disjointed Republican party will highlight their destructive tendencies and show the people that there are better options for our fragile nation.
Happy hunting, America.
