This past weekend, at the Republican Jewish Coalition’s Annual Leadership Meeting in Las Vegas, some likely Republican 2024 hopefuls voiced their remonstrations of Donald Trump to a maelstrom of applause. This is yet more evidence that Trump might currently be enduring his biggest reputational collapse since the aftermath of the January 6 riot at the Capitol.
Some commentators have noted that the 2024 presidential campaign is shaping up to look like a repeat of the 2016 GOP primary, where over a dozen major candidates jumped in the race in vain attempts at self-aggrandizement. Trump capitalized on the tumult as the other candidates cannibalized each other, clearing his way to the nomination.
The need for Republican consolidation around one alternative to Trump has never been more apparent, and at this stage, the most viable option is Florida governor Ron DeSantis. However, we must resist this premature temptation. It’s extremely early in this contest. And before we make DeSantis’s coronation as Trump’s successor a foregone conclusion, we ought to welcome, not warn against, open defiance of the former president. It’s been a while since we’ve witnessed anything like this open disapproval of Trump, and it should be celebrated as a moment for potential renewal.
There is a theory among some on the right that a politician’s job is simply to cater to his base by reflecting the base’s views rather than to do what he was actually elected for: lead. This idea is rooted in a flawed conception of representation. Elected officials are supposed to be trustees, not surrogates, of public opinion.
Edmund Burke once said that your representative owes you “not his industry only, but his judgment; and he betrays, instead of serving you, if he sacrifices it to your opinion.” Republican leaders would be wise to heed his words. Don’t let the 400-pound gorilla in the room deter you. The time for unity will come.