What Might Have Been

Three what-ifs of the Republican primary.

By
329
Republican presidential candidate and former President Donald Trump speaks on March 2, 2024, in Richmond, Virginia. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

As loathsome as American politics has become in the Trump era, it must be said: It’s pretty exciting.

The most exciting political development of my young adulthood during the 1990s was forensic analysis of a stained dress worn by one of Bill Clinton’s interns. The most exciting political development of my middle age was a mob of populist lunatics storming the Capitol in hopes of murdering the president’s enemies in Congress on live television.

Never a dull moment in the age of Trump. Except, weirdly, Super Tuesday 2024.

Believe it or not, younger readers, Super Tuesday was once an interesting day in the presidential cycle. The huge delegate hauls available across the map meant that the results would make or break candidacies, typically turning the big winner into a prohibitive favorite for his party’s nomination.

This content is available exclusively to Dispatch members
Try a membership for full access to every newsletter and all of The Dispatch. Support quality, fact-based journalism.
Start Your Free Trial
Already a paid member? Sign In
329
By
Comments (329)
Join The Dispatch to participate in the comments.
 
  1. Mo

    I think the thing that could have worked in conjunction with 'What If' #1 is the Dominion lawsuit. If Republican leaders pushed back at the same time that Fox was forced to the better part of a billion dollars would have locked in the narrative and also put incentives against pushback in the media.

    Collapse
  2. James Morphew

    The preening of the original #NeverTrump-ers blinds them to some of the more nuanced motivations of this story. Trump always had charisma, stage presence and an instinct for working a crowd. When you add to that the suspiciousness of the legal contortions of most of these indictments, it is less surprising that gullible Americans might smell a rat -- and choose to rally around what they perceive as the victim. Calling Jan 6 a "coup" or an "insurrection" is great sport here at The Dispatch, but if it was either, it was a very poor attempt; many see it as simply a roughneck protest by some misinformed enthusiasts.

    A big portion of influence is likely the American attraction to celebrity, along with a vicious cynicism toward any career politician. It is easy to lament how stupid some of the Republicans are; it takes much more work to explain what is really influencing those common Americans, individually or collectively. Most especially when they don't agree with you.

    Collapse
  3. Cantbreakpar

    Rand Paul’s PAC was emailing me yesterday. He’ll never see my reply(text below) but it made me feel a bit better. Those who know me, know I don’t use f bombs except in rare situations.

    I hope Nikki holds on to her integrity for 2028.

    :)
    ——

    Dear Rand Paul,

    You’ve proven to be a fraud by throwing your lot in with D Trump. Apparently, you lied when you said that character matters. I thought that Republicans and Libertarians believed it too….but I guess not.

    I've been registered R and voted straight line ticket for 32 years, except my write-in votes for president in 16 and 20. You are a disgrace to your father, and a disgrace to conservatives.

    I know most of your email is just politics, I get it. But you sold your soul to support a squish on abortion, a character deficient and self serving egomaniac, and a man who would tear up the constitution if given a chance. I trust the GOP and the faux conservatives of your ilk crash and burn, and do it soon, so true conservatives can again be an influential voice for America.

    I’m sure you won’t see this reply, but just in case, and with the respect you deserve, go f..k yourself.

    Collapse
    1. Wes.Bridges

      Poetry, that is.

      Collapse
  4. MidwestByMidwest

    "All along I’ve suspected that prosecutors, or at least the Justice Department, would have opted not to put the country through an ordeal as bitter as indicting a former president if it had reason to believe that former president was no threat to reoffend. If Trump had left politics in 2021, willingly or because Republican voters had tired of him, the DOJ could have rested assured that he’d never again be able to organize a coup or to hoard state secrets at Mar-a-Lago."

    I missed this on the first read-through, but it is new information to me that even Nick believes the timing of the indictments was held back as a "just in case he wants to reoffend", and not because the respective prosecutions had finally matured to the point that they could publicly indite.

    Does he understand that most (and perhaps all) of these indictments would and should have happened even if he exited the stage in 2021 and wasn't running again?
    Has he at least considered that among his various what-could-have-been scenarios?

    Collapse
  5. Mike.Amundson.76

    I’m missing the point of “what if”. Seems to me you gave DeSantis way too much credibility after a dismal Iowa showing after spending $100M??? DeSantis lost any goodwill by wasting time pursuing Disney and pushing aggressively on abortion. The only person in the GOP with actual backbone in 20 was Cheney, and see what happened there. No evidence of leadership in either party. I’m thinking a write in is the only possibility in November. I’m not getting on board either clown car

    Collapse
  6. Avatar photo
    Phil H

    There is a problem with populists willing to disregard the Constitution.

    Collapse
  7. Avatar photo
    Tim

    Super Tuesday has proven that Reagan conservatives have truly left the GOP and only MAGA populists remain. I had a small shred of hope that it would not be so but my hope was in vain. There is no hope for November - barring someone's death - where the only possibilities are an incompetent narcissist with a passion for dictators or an incompetent AND decrepit narcissist who is the definition of mediocrity.

    We can only come to one conclusion - that of PT Barnum

    Collapse
  8. Betsybowditch

    Florida Gov Ron DeSantis came to national attention due to his anti-COVID lockdown stance which endeared him to the GOP base.

    In 2022 he won reelection by nearly 20 percentage points while most of Trump's handpicked candidates went down to defeat in elections that were winnable like the Pennsylvania Senate seat.

    Had DeSantis taken on Trump at that point, he might have been able to wrestle leadership of the GOP away from him.

    Collapse
    1. Wes.Bridges

      DeSantis's first term was exemplary, and I would have followed him anywhere. Second term, he joined the culture wars with great enthusiasm and considerable amplification. Bad choice. The culture wars are no fit battleground for presidential politics. He lost me at Disney. I am a traditional conservative, with most of my focus on fiscal matters. I have no one to vote for. I guess I'll write in Mitch Daniels again.

      Collapse
  9. Deleted Comment

    This comment has been deleted

  10. Phyllis Laubacher

    I didn’t enjoy reading this hypothetical crap for one minute. Two facts that you dance around make me recoil from your rumination: there was no “insurrection” and the election was indeed stolen. I’m new to The Dispatch but chose to disregard your columns.

    Collapse
    1. GoldenRuleLover

      Please educate yourself. There was a multi prong plan to overturn a free and fair election by Trump and his cronies. Every element of 2020 “election fraud” has been debunked. This is why Trump’s team lost in numerous court cases and there are still indictments and pleas being handed out in various states to Trump attorneys and fake electors. If you don’t know this, you’re being willfully ignorant.

      https://www.govinfo.gov/collection/january-6th-committee-final-report

      Collapse
    2. Joel Delgado

      Wait... are you actually serious?

      Collapse
    3. Avatar photo
      Rochejaquelein

      I think I just felt the Dispatch subscriber average IQ materially drop. Thanks Phyllis!

      Collapse
    4. Avatar photo
      Kmregan7

      This column probably won’t be the only thing you dislike about this site- it’s a conservative one, for sure but based in reality. There isn’t support for the Big Lie (Trump’s claim that the election was stolen) and definitely no support for what was, indeed, an insurrection on January 6.

      Collapse
    5. Avatar photo
      Tim

      Welcome to The Dispatch, Phyllis! Since you appear to be someone who chooses to believe in kooky conspiracy theories over reality I suspect Nick's column may not be the only one you find distasteful on this site.

      Collapse
      1. Avatar photo
        Kmregan7

        Agreed! This is a conservative site.

        Collapse
      2. Avatar photo
        Ronnie B

        She’ll probably be joining Christine (a.k.a. Buh Bye) in having a public meltdown in the comments section soon enough.

        Collapse
        1. Iowafocus

          It’s a troll, obviously

          Collapse
          1. Avatar photo
            Kmregan7

            Yeah the response gave it away. I’m wondering how we seem to be getting more trolls lately.

            Collapse
          2. Avatar photo
            Ronnie B

            At least she’s getting her ten bucks worth before she’s banned.

            Collapse
        2. Phyllis Laubacher

          Oh Ronnie B, no meltdowns here. I said what I thought and then went to work out. I came back to your horseshit comment. What have you done or said today that mattered?

          Collapse
      3. Cschaewe

        Yeah, kind of wonder what she’s doing here.

        Collapse
        1. Phyllis Laubacher

          Really? I’m checking out a new site. I’m conservative and poking around. OK by you? Now you don’t have to wonder.

          Collapse
          1. Avatar photo
            Kmregan7

            You’re definitely not conservative- this site is full of them so we know.

            Collapse
Load More