The Corner

Presidential Punditry Shouldn’t Stay Stuck in the Last War

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Dr. Ben Carson, former Florida Governor Jeb Bush and then-Wisconsin governor Scot Walker listen as Donald Trump speaks at the second Republican presidential candidates debate in Simi Valley, Calif., September 16, 2015.

Lucy Nicholson/Reuters

Donald Trump might win the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. He might, in fact, win due to some combination of dynamics similar to those that propelled him eight years ago: Republican voter mistrust of the party’s other leadership, Trump’s celebrity and facility for attracting free media coverage, a divided field that suffers from collective-action problems and includes some people acting effectively as Trump allies, opponents fearful of confronting him directly, and underperformance and in some cases outright self-destruction from promising alternative candidates.

The key word here, however, is “might.”

Dan McLaughlin

About the Author

Dan McLaughlin

Dan McLaughlin is a senior writer at National Review Online and a fellow at National Review Institute.

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