Now that all the votes(presumably) have been counted, two things are certain in the wake of the recent mid-term elections: Republicans will control the House of Representatives and Donald Trump will once again run for President. One must admit the results fell short of what republicans expected, but there is much about which to be encouraged. Never mind the legacy media’s narrative that the elections were disastrous for the G.O.P. due to the lack of the much-hyped Red Wave and the mixed results of Trump-backed candidates. Admittedly, MAGA candidates, most notably, Kari Lake in Arizona, came up short in their bids (although, Lake has yet to concede). Republicans were never going to regain the Senate, the numbers this cycle were not in their favor. Of the 34 seats up for re-election, twenty were held by republicans. In two years, 33 seats will be decided, two thirds of them held by democrats. So, the math will favor republicans in 2024.
But the issue that grabbed most of the media’s attention was how candidates supported by Donald Trump faired in their respective races. Lake’s bid for Governor of Arizona was “the most stinging rebuke” of the former President, blared one headline. Then there was Dr. Oz coming up short in his bid for a Pennsylvania Senate seat. But Oz, who was put on the map by Oprah, distanced himself from Trump in the final weeks of the campaign. In another high-profile race in the Keystone State, Trump booster Doug Mastriano was soundly beaten in his quest for the Governorship. Mastriano frequently referenced Q-Anon and believed 9/11 was an inside job. So, obviously candidate quality plays a huge role in every race. The only race yet to be decided is the Dec. 6 runoff between incumbent Democrat Raphael Warnock and Republican Hershel Walker.
As for who republicans would prefer to lead the Party from this point forward, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis slightly leads Donald Trump in most head-to-head polls. The feeling being that Trump has run his string and has too much baggage and that DeSantis is better equipped to lead the G.O.P. The in-fighting has already begun, as DeSantis reportedly has sought the backing of the Republican establishment in his quest for the nomination. But it is far too early for any coronation. In politics, two years is an eternity. Besides, DeSantis hasn’t officially announced his candidacy.
DeSantis obviously has a lot of attributes: youth, a stellar record as Governor, including his refusal to shut down Florida’s economy during the pandemic, his state’s population is growing, as more and more Americans are fleeing highly taxed and regulated states to live in more freedom. And the only truly Red Wave on Election Day was in Florida. DeSantis crushed Charlie Crist and republicans will hold super-majorities in each House. Even deep blue Miami-Dade County went red. The way he’s handled illegal immigration – sending bus loads of illegals to Martha’s Vineyard earned him accolades from the right.
Donald Trump has done for this country more than any President in recent history. He presided over a robust economy, opened our abundant natural resources for oil and natural gas drilling and put our enemies on notice that America was back. But some fear the 45th President will be another Teddy Roosevelt, who, after losing the 1909 Republican nomination to William Howard Taft, started the Bull Moose Party. That move split the republican vote and handed the election to Woodrow Wilson, one of the most liberal Presidents in this nation’s history. If Trump fails to secure the G.O.P. nomination, one hopes that he would do the honorable thing and step aside. But Trump has been left for dead politically more than once, and if the G.O.P. primary field is as large as it was in 2015, he could win in a crowded field. One thing is for certain, the next two years will be a wild ride.