The 2024 presidential race officially kicked off several weeks ago with former President Donald Trump’s announcement he would be launching an historic third campaign to regain the White House for a second non-consecutive term.
Now, after a not-so stunning series of results for Republicans after last month’s midterm elections, many are wondering how the GOP as a party will attempt to turn the tide and achieve victory.
Not just to grow their majority in the House and recapture the Senate, but also how the future Republican presidential nominee will be able to make the case to voters that President Joe Biden is unworthy of a second term.
Recently, The Political Insider’s Brett Smith sat down with veteran Washington, D.C. commentator Peter Roff to discuss the key to defeating Biden and the Democrat’s harmful agenda in 2024.
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Where the GOP has Failed
Republicans across the country are being forced to confront their failure to convince voters to turn out for them after what many considered to be a slam dunk victory, especially given the current administration’s failure to curb inflation and their handling of the out-of-control price increases hitting food and energy costs.
“The GOP is behaving as if they already have 2024 in the bag,” said Smith. “But the ‘Red Wave’ they promised us for the midterms didn’t work out.”
Smith asked Roff whether or not any Republican would be capable of defeating Biden in a general election unless drastic steps were taken to change how Republicans handled things going forward, wondering whether the focus should be on finding a nominee capable of just defeating Biden alone or one that could maneuver Washington better in order to reverse many of the current administration’s disastrous policies.
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Roff pointed to Ronald Reagan’s 1980 campaign as an example to follow for the eventual nominee and party as a whole.
“What Reagan did was explain to the country how cutting spending, balancing the budget, cutting taxes, showing support for traditional family values, backing up a strong American national security establishment that would frighten the Russians and frighten the Chinese into behaving better would create a better world, and this is what Reagan was willing to do,” said Roff.
“Somewhere along the line, the Republican leadership has gotten used to making deals in Washington and not going to the American people to tell them in advance that this is why this is going to be good for you. They do a deal, and then explain what’s going to be good about it,” Roff continued. “So nobody’s vested, they’re not building a movement, they’re not building a party, they’re not building support for themselves.”
“Prime Minister Thatcher used to say ‘First you win the argument then you win the election.’ Republicans want to win the election so then they can win the argument.”
Biden Isn’t Going Anywhere
As far as rumors concerning Biden deciding not to see re-election or having to face potential primary challengers goes, Roff says not to pay them any attention.
“Whether Biden is carried in on somebody’s shoulders or on a stretcher, he’s probably going to be the nominee in 2024, because he is [the least] objectionable candidate among Democrats,” said Roff.
“Kamala is a disaster. Gavin Newsom has thrown in with Biden. Bernie is an almost certain loss. Elizabeth Warren, Pete Buttigieg, are yesterday’s news, old smelly fish wrapped in paper ready for the garage can. And there are no Democrats out there with new ideas, trying new things who are culturally progressive enough for the coalition that controls the nominating process for the Democratic Party.”
As far as the key to victory goes, Roff firmly believes the GOP needs “to offer the American people what Newt Gingrich used to call ‘an agenda worth voting for.’
“How they will bring inflation under control, what they will do to spur economic growth, what policies they will enact to help get energy prices down. How they will stop the out of control east and west coast elites from poisoning the minds of children in public schools, how they will make streets safe, they have to have that program.”