Trump's 2024 run for president gets mixed reception from local Republican Party leaders
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Former President Donald Trump's plan to run again for president is getting mixed reviews from local Republican Party leaders.
As KDKA political editor Jon Delano reports, some think he may not be the strongest candidate to retake the White House in two years.
Trump does not have a lock on the Republican nomination in 2024 because Republicans want a winner, says Allegheny County Republican Party chair Sam DeMarco.
"Republicans are determined to win in 2024, and I think some of the lessons that we can take away from 2022 is that we need to vote strategically in the primaries and select the candidate that we believe is best positioned to win in the fall," says DeMarco.
DeMarco says he welcomes other candidates like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former Vice President Mike Pence to demonstrate how they can attract independents and Democrats more than Trump.
"We believe that competition breeds excellence. I invite whoever believes that they are best prepared to lead this party and this country to put their hat forward, to step forward, to run here in the 2024 primary."
As for Trump, says DeMarco, "We need to take and set aside folks that we like or we may have supported in the past or may think of supporting in the future and focus on: where is the electorate today? What are they asking or crying out for?"
DeMarco's pragmatic strategy is echoed, in part, by Westmoreland County Republican Party chair Bill Bretz who thinks Trump has the inside track for nomination but will still have to prove himself to Republican voters in 2024.
"He certainly has the advantage of incumbency and being there, but I do think the results of the recent election and it's been some time since he's held office will mean that he will have to sell himself to the American people all over again if he's going to be the nominee," notes Bretz.
Like some Republican leaders with whom KDKA spoke privately, Bretz thinks DeSantis could be a strong challenger.
"I think Governor DeSantis, in particular, will have support here in Pennsylvania. He's made a few public appearances here as he was stumping for folks throughout the campaign and was received very well," says Bretz.
But other local Republican leaders, like Beaver County Republican Party chair Jim Christiana, says Trump has a lock on the nomination and opposing him will only divide the Republican Party for the next two years.
"A contentious bloodbath primary for president of the United States in 2024 would be very counterproductive to our success, and we would be dealing with the downstream consequences of that when the general election rolls around. This party needs to unify," says Christiana.
There's little neutral ground when it comes to Donald Trump – you either like him or you don't.
For Republican leaders in the must-win state of Pennsylvania, it also comes down to whether you think he is the strongest candidate to carry Pennsylvania.
"I think it's time for us to focus on winning because if we can't win, we can't govern," says DeMarco.
But Christiana thinks Trump's support within the Republican Party is too strong, and the nomination is locked up for Trump.
"My opinion, he has it locked up. This is no way near an open primary," says Christiana.
"This is the situation that the Republican Party is in nationally. We've been kind of following Donald Trump's lead for a while. Whether you think that is good strategy or bad strategy, it is what it is," he adds.
Christiana worries that if Republicans challenge Trump they will lose after an ugly divisive primary that could weaken Trump against the Democrats.
Of course, there's lots of time for this to sort out. We have 75 weeks until Pennsylvania's presidential primary in April of 2024.