Unhappy at the prospect that Donald Trump is about to walk away with the Republican Party’s 2024 presidential nominations that could doom the GOP’s chances of retaking the White House, top conservative donors are making “secret overtures” to Republicans who have not joined the primary race in the hopes of dumping the former president.
According to a report from Axios, big money donors are sitting on their wallets while the search for a Trump alternative proceeds with Governors Brian Kemp (GA) and Glenn Youngkin (VA) high on the list.
As Axios is reporting, the fact that, new alternatives are being sought is bad news for Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) who was once believed to be the top contender only to see his star fall once he hit the campaign trail.
According to the report, finding someone else to take on Trump — who is being swamped with criminal indictment — is a “long-shot” but not unattainable if the money to back a candidacy is there.
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“Youngkin, if he announces, wants to wait until after what he hopes will be big GOP wins in November’s legislative races in Virginia,” Axios is reporting, adding, “Billionaire Ronald Lauder is among the GOP donors who are considering backing Youngkin if the governor gets into the race, a source who has spoken with Lauder told Axios. A spokesperson for Lauder declined to comment.”
Billionaire Thomas Peterffy is also pushing for Youngkin after being in the DeSantis camp previously.
Noting that Kemp is unlikely to make the leap, the report adds that he is being courted just the same.
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“John Bolton — Trump’s former national security adviser who has become a fierce critic — met privately with Kemp earlier this month and encouraged him to enter the race, a GOP source said,” the report states.
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