Immediately after Joe Biden won the 2020 Presidential Election the air was filled with all sorts of rumors about how there was no way Trump lost. Or that it was inconceivable to think Biden had fooled that many people into thinking he was the best choice. Yet here we are in 2022, and despite numerous organizations trying to overturn the results and get us out from under the thumb of the geriatric king, Biden’s still leading.
As the 2024 campaign trail is right around the corner, many have tabbed Donald Trump to run again, and while many Republicans are all for him campaigning again, there are still some who are completely against it. Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI) is one of the loudest voices in opposition to his return. As one of the only Republicans to vote for his impeachment as a result of the Jan 6th, 2021, insurrection he had one goal in mind; keep Trump away from another election.
Speaking with CNN “State of the Union” co-anchor Dana Bash, Upton didn’t hold back on giving the American people hope of Trump to run again given all the support he has behind him. He’s had a number of decisive wins where he’s endorsed candidates that they have won. He’s had a few losses as well, but he certainly entertains a majority of the Republican base and will be hard to stop.”
Upton is right about that. Many Republicans still see him as a savior for the party and the people because of his origins. This is not a man that spent 10 years in the political polishing machine. Instead, he cut his teeth in the knock-down brutal world of real estate and became a mogul for making a deal. Much like any other entrepreneur he had his share of failures. Still, he persevered and made something of himself. Openly he has admitted he did not have the blue-collar background many of his supporters have.
Maybe that’s what made Donald Trump so popular as President. He was honest with the people and was willing to tell them things they might not want to hear. He knows American business, so he knew how to find a way to compromise so everyone got a taste of what they wanted to see happen. His comfort with a teleprompter or with a memorized script was evident, and what he lacked in polish he made up for in bravado and swagger.
Upton continued piling the praise on his fellow Republicans. “As we look at the economy, we look at gas prices, all these different things, folks are not really happy with the Biden administration, which is why he is mired at a level even below where Donald Trump was at this point in his tenure…We will see when these primaries are over, but, yes, I think there will be some of the 10 that are standing.” The “10” comment refers to the 10 who voted for his impeachment. While Upton isn’t seeking reelection, many are.
This has led to some division amongst the party, with many looking to have those who would have opposed one of their own in public removed from the party. In South Carolina, Rep. Tom Rice lost his GOP primary after voting for Trump to be impeached. Instead, Rep. Russel Fry who was endorsed by Trump won by a landslide. As of late, this has become a trend in many states for anyone who gets the nod from Trump. Because of this, we could see a massive shift in the 2022 midterms, and then a tsunami of a red wave come 2024.
