On the same day, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis was in battleground Pennsylvania campaigning for a far-right nominee for governor. DeSantis recounted his battles with “establishment Republicans” and “the corporate media,” as well as the culture wars in which they have both have eagerly fought.
Just as DeSantis’s event got underway, Donald Trump’s political organization announced his own rally for the “Pennsylvania Trump Ticket” on Labor Day weekend. The nominees he plans to promote are among a slew of polarizing candidates, that more broadly includes election deniers and newcomers the former president has helped push through primaries. Some Republicans worry their nominations could cost the GOP crucial seats.
All across the country, potential GOP 2024 presidential candidates are fanning out and stepping up their involvement in the midterms, boosting Republican candidates as they pitch themselves. They are seeking to sharpen their political brand and reach new audiences by helping like-minded candidates — who are also potential future endorsers — and visiting early primary states where advisers know their words will garner extra attention.
Their presence on the trail — together with pitches to donors, expanding staffs and plans to release memoirs — underscores the widespread interest in the party running for president, or at least in keeping the option open. Even at a moment when many Republicans say Trump has secured his grip on the GOP and would begin as a heavy favorite for the nomination if he runs, the uncertainty surrounding his legal and political challenges, combined with the full slate of ambitious Republicans, has effectively set off a preliminary campaign for 2024.
“It’s surprisingly business-as-usual,” said Republican strategist Bob Heckman, a veteran of presidential campaigns, noting that Republicans are not “timid” or “frozen” in the face of Trump’s repeated suggestions he might seek a second White House term. There’s good reason to make allies now, Heckman said — they may decide against running down the road, but “if you haven’t done the prep work, you can’t recapture that.”
The busy travels have highlighted potential strengths and challenges for candidates ahead of 2024. Pence, who has faced fierce criticism from the 45th president and his allies for his refusal to overturn Trump’s 2020 election loss, won cheers at the state fair, but also encountered some hostility. “Go home!” one woman yelled as Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa) and Pence addressed reporters here in Iowa. In interviews, some Iowans insisted Pence could have kept Trump in office.
Much of the Republican primary season has revolved around Trump, who has used the intraparty contests to try to dislodge those he holds grudges against, and elevate many inexperienced candidates who have embraced his false claims about the 2020 election being stolen from him. Many races have hinged on which candidate hews mostly closely to the former president’s divisive positions.
The results have been mixed. Trump failed in his bid to unseat Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) for certifying Biden’s 2020 election win, but found success in preventing House Republicans who voted to impeach him last year from returning to Congress. (Only two of the 10 who cast that vote are nominees in the general election.)
Trump’s influence will face a new test in the fall, after his endorsements boosted candidates who some Republicans think could complicate the GOP push to win back control of…
Read More: 2024 meets 2022: Trump, Pence, others ramp up for allies in midterms
