Just 4 more years? Republican rivals may target Trump’s term limit

Just 4 more years?  Republican rivals may target Trump’s term limit

Former President Donald Trump faces a unique limitation that appeals to both his 2024 Republican rivals and the Republicans hoping to be his running mate: He is eligible to serve only one more term.

That’s because the Constitution prohibits a person from being elected president more than twice.

So far, one potential Republican candidate, former Trump Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, has publicly suggested that the term limit could matter to voters in next year’s Republican primary. Pompeo’s comments came last month during an interview on a New Hampshire radio show when he was asked if Trump could win a general election matchup if he came out of the primary.

“We will nominate someone who is decent, serious, thoughtful and ready to succeed for eight years,” Pompeo said on the “Good Morning New Hampshire” radio show.

Whether or not the term limit hurts Trump with the Republican electorate, it increases the value of a spot on his ballot. NBC News reported last month that Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican, is running for Trump’s choice for vice president, and newly elected Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders sparked vice-presidential buzz in Republican circles when she gave the answer. from the party to President Joe. Biden’s State of the Union address on Tuesday.

“It raises the stakes significantly,” said a Republican strategist who worked on Trump’s 2020 campaign. If Trump wins the GOP nomination, his vice-presidential pick would be “an obvious favorite in 2028 should they win” and “a probable favourite” if they lose, said the quarterback.

Few Republicans believe that Trump will be judged predominantly by the number of terms he is eligible to serve, and allies argue that he could do more in four years than anyone else in eight, but some in the GOP say there are reasons to believe that both term limit bolsters the case against the former president’s nomination.

“It can give people who are inclined to walk away from Trump anyway a cover with their pro-Trump friends, you know, ‘I’d vote for Trump in a second if I thought he might serve eight years, but four is just not enough. ‘” said Mick Mulvaney, who served as Trump’s acting White House chief of staff. “It’s smart for Pompeo and the other challengers to set that narrative, because it can take a couple of percentage points off Trump’s support.”

That is not a universal opinion.

Trump supporters say he showed in his first term that he could do a lot in a short period of time, often claiming that he accomplished more in one term than other presidents in two terms.

“I think people like single terminology. I think we’re just an impatient country,” said a close Trump adviser. “I think Trump won’t say ‘just one term.’ I think what he will say is ‘I want to complete the unfinished business’.

That’s not far off from the mantra President Joe Biden repeated in his State of the Union address on Tuesday: “Finish the job.”

The Republican strategist who worked on Trump’s last campaign said most primary voters won’t care about the distinction between one term and two terms.

“It’s an argument that just doesn’t connect with a voter, especially since it doesn’t move the 30% who are DJT or go bankrupt,” the strategist said, using Trump’s initials.

In addition, Trump’s spokesman, Steven Cheung, said the candidate needed less time to do more than any potential rival.

“President Trump is the only proven leader who can stop the radical leftist agenda from destroying America,” Cheung said. “President Trump, in his first term alone, did more to strengthen the country than anyone could do in his lifetime. Anyone who thinks otherwise is false or living in a fantasy.”

Of course, it’s still early in the process. Trump is the only candidate in the race right now, and it’s unclear who will run against him, let alone what arguments will be used to steal voters from him.

Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., who has said he is seeking re-election rather than the Republican presidential nomination, told NBC News he is not sure if the issue can be effectively turned against Trump.

“That’s an interesting question,” he said. “You know, I doubt it a little. We’ll see how it develops.”

Vida Keller, legislative director for the Nevada Republican Party and a former Lyon County commissioner, said a lot will depend on how the primary plays out, including who is running and where they stand on the issues. Keller said the appeal of Trump is that he is a known quantity, even if he can only serve one term.

“If it was DeSantis versus Trump, I would have to weigh all four years … but it wouldn’t be the deciding factor. DeSantis would have to show me the things I’m looking for,” he said. . “I think a lot of people in this country really believe in Trump and are willing to take the four years.”

By Loris Jones

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