Senator Mitt Romney, a Utah RINO and two-time failed GOP presidential candidate, has recently put forward an idea in the Wall Street Journal to prevent former President Donald Trump from winning the 2024 GOP presidential nomination.
In his op-ed titled “Donors, Don’t Fund a Trump Plurality,” and subtitled “As in 2016, Republican candidates won’t drop out soon enough. Here’s how to give them a push,” he proposed that donors should concentrate their efforts on backing one strong candidate who could successfully challenge Trump for the nomination.
Romney contends that despite Trump’s current popularity, any of the thirteen potential candidates have a chance at becoming the party’s nominee if they can narrow down to a two-person race before Trump secures his nomination.
To make this happen, Romney urges Republican megadonors and influencers to convince those with low prospects of winning to withdraw from the competition before February 26th -the Monday following contests in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina -and back the most qualified individual who is best suited for challenging Trump.
The Utah Senator believes that without external pressure from donors or party leaders many contenders will continue their campaigns due to incentives such as setting up future runs for office or gaining other lucrative opportunities, citing former New Hampshire Governor John H Sununu who said: “It is fun running for president if you know you cannot win.”
He points out that because voters are not listening to party officials it places all responsibility on donor influence rather than leader direction.
Additionally, Romney details how during past elections candidates would consolidate together towards one figurehead in order support what they believed was the best choice for beating certain opponents such as Richard Nixon in 1968 when five potential nominees rallied around George W Romney even after his own campaign faltered.
Apparently showing that noble causes were once placed above personal ambitions. This kind of unification however has become increasingly rare due largely to an influx of Super PACs which grant megadonors great influence over campaigns, with many billionaires already pledging tens of millions of dollars without a clear understanding of each candidate’s chances at success.
Romney acknowledges that although many factors contribute to determining who will be nominated come 2024 , ultimately it is up to donors and financial supporters alike across various levels whether or not someone drops out and endorses another individual before February 26th if they truly wish for someone other than Donald Trump securing primary victory next year.
“Donors may think that party leaders can narrow the field. Not so. Candidates don’t listen to party officials, because voters don’t listen to them either. And the last people who would ever encourage a candidate to withdraw are the campaign staff and consultants who want to keep their jobs for as long as possible. They buck up candidates, promoting long-shot prospects and favorably biased internal polls,” he wrote.
Concluding, Romney said: “Our party and our country need a nominee with character, driven by something greater than revenge and ego, preferably from the next generation. Family, friends and campaign donors are the only people who can get a lost-cause candidate to exit the race. After Feb. 26, they should start doing just that.”
