“Trump’s reelection is up in the air, but Republicans with national aspirations are already maneuvering to be the GOP’s standard-bearer in four years — an under-the-radar campaign that will burst into the open at the convention. Republicans anticipate an intense clash as the party prepares for a post-Trump world, whether he’s still in office or not” Politico reports.
“The 2024 primary ‘will be a battle for soul of the party, and the jockeying for position has already begun,’ said Republican strategist Mike DuHaime, who helped spearhead ex-New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s 2016 presidential bid. Some of the jockeying is in plain sight, and some of it is playing out behind the scenes. A pair of Senate primaries provided an early window into how candidates are positioning themselves. While Cotton aided the establishment-backed former Ambassador Bill Hagerty in Tennessee, Sens. Rand Paul of Kentucky and Ted Cruz of Texas bolstered the insurgent candidate, trauma surgeon Manny Sethi. (Hagerty won.) And while Cotton has thrown his weight behind retired Army Brig. Gen. Don Bolduc in the upcoming New Hampshire primary, Paul is backing self-described outsider Corky Messner.”