HARRISBURG, Pa. — Former President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced he will run for reelection in 2024 “in order to make America great and glorious again.”
The announcement comes after Republicans’ lackluster performance in the midterms, especially among candidates Trump endorsed, including Pennsylvania Senate candidate Mehmet Oz and gubernatorial candidate Doug Mastriano.
“I do think he’s in a weakened position after the midterm elections, which may be part of the reason why he announced so quickly. He wants to reassert himself as the leader of the party, and he was worried somebody else might fill that void if he didn’t,” said F&M College government professor Stephen Medvic.
Several competitors are on the horizon, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former Vice President Mike Pence. The mere fact that other candidates are surfacing suggests Republican strategists are considering a different direction for the Republican Party for the 2024 presidential election.
A candidate other than Trump could help pull the Republican party back from some extreme positions supported by Trump and his allies.
“This broader sense of the protection of democracy and election denial, and of course that is connected to former President Trump,” Medvic said.
On Wednesday, Pennsylvania Republican voters had mixed opinions on Trump’s third campaign.
“I think it’s a good thing. The world has taken a shift for the worst so I think we need a change,” said Carmen P. of Lancaster.
“I’m not a big Trump supporter, but he’s better than Biden,” said Brandon Newcomb of Lancaster, who added he preferred a candidate who knows what they’re doing.
Some conservative advocacy groups in Pennsylvania, such as the influential Commonwealth Partners, are hoping to move past Trump in politics.
“Some look at the president’s announcement and look at the opportunities to grow our economy and have better access to education and opportunity for all families,” said Jeremy Baker, political director of Commonwealth Partners. “Some see that the president running would actually hinder that effort. We need candidates talking about policy, not personality, in Pennsylvania.”
Other Republican operatives are hedging their bets and not criticizing Trump before the Republican nomination is decided.
“Some of them will be very loyal to him, but many are going to wait and see,” said Medvic.
Pennsylvania’s swing-state status predicts another high-pressure, high-stakes election in 2024.