Iowa conservative activist Bob Vander Plaats, described in a Thursday Politico piece as “president of The Family Leader, a socially conservative advocacy group, is one of the most sought-after endorsers in the Iowa Caucus,” claimed to a reporter that all the potential 2024 Republican presidential candidates have agreed to him to not stay too long in the race if (or when) it becomes clear that splitting the anti-Trump vote will just hand the primary to the Orange God Emperor.

“I tell them that there is an open and fair playing field here in the state of Iowa, and that we will introduce you to our base, and we will give you all kinds of opportunities for you to introduce yourself. And if you have the call in your heart to run for president, I am the last person to tell you to not to. But do not listen to your consultants, who have a vested interest in you staying in. I can help you decide if you should stay in or not. They all agree right away,” Vander Plaats said.

Well maybe “claimed” they said that isn’t so accurate as there’s no reason to question that Mike Pompeo, Mike Pence, Niki Haley, etc told Vander Plaats they would drop out at the right time. They definitely said that to him. That he’s apparently fucking stupid enough to believe them, so much so that he tells a national politics website they’ll do “the right thing” might be the real lede here.

Another GOP strategist sums up the situation pretty nicely. “Everybody on every campaign says, ‘Why is it our responsibility to keep Donald Trump from winning?'” said consultant Dave Carney.