I wasn’t going to write this until Trump went down in ignominious flames. While I’m not superstitious, I still thought doing so might jinx the chance of him being impeached, resigning, or deciding not to run in 2020. If the polls showed he didn’t stand a chance of winning not just in the general election, but even in a primary if heavyweight anti-Trumpers like Romney and Flake decided to challenge him finding a self-aggrandizing way not to run. I could see him saying he had achieved more in four years than any other president accomplished in eight and announcing he could serve the nation better as the Emperor of the Galaxy or some-such proof he had finally succumbed to a delusional psychosis.
This summer Newsweek wrote “Which Republicans could challenge in 2020” and described four: John Kasich, Jeff Flake, Ted Cruz, and Ben Sasse. The summer before CNN had a fifth on their list, Scott Walker who was still Wisconsin governor.
By March of 2018 the previous lists were winnowed down and included only Kasich and flake in an article by Chris Cillizza on CNN. Significantly the Mitt Romney was the third on the new list. Romney currently is not only the prime threat to pro-Trumpers in the Senate because he could lead a rebellion of Republicans supporting conviction if the House impeached him, but because he could be the GOP’s last best hope of winning in 2020.
If, sans Trump, the 2020 race had an open primary, I think it would be a hard-fought race which certainly could include the five mentioned in these article and more.
If a vindicated Trump who is surging in the polls is running I still think it’s possible Jeff Flake and Mitt Romney might still challenge him. A grinning Trump would be bragging and ranting about how the fake news was humiliated, how Mueller’s investigation ended up being a nothing burger, how the Democrats caved in and funded his big beautiful wall, and how he saved your grandmother from vicious immigrant criminals. Flake and Romney would have to convince the Republicans who would probably be backing Trump close to 100% that he was still unfit to represent their party.
If, knock on wood, Trump has retired in shame and moved to live permanently at Mar-a-Lago with Trump Tower occupied by wife and Barron and rumor swirling that there’s a secret divorce in progress, the question we will all be asking is whether the Democratic Party front-runner can beat Mitt Romney or Jeff Flake.
Either would be a formidable presidential opponent against any Democrat, but consider how daunting a task it would be to run against what I am sure would be the dream ticket for old school Republicans like Michael Steele (who during the William Barr hearing Tuesday Lindsay Graham mistook for Chistopher Steele), Jennifer Rubin, George Will, and Nicolle Wallace: Romney/Flake.
Romney would run as the elder statesman, as a smart and stable Republican who looks and talks like a president and would return dignity to the Oval Office and eschew tweeting. He would be 72 or 73. Flake, who would be 57 or 58, would run as the new blood of the party.
Both are Mormons who received their bachelors degrees from Brigham Young University. You can be sure there are no Stormy Daniels waiting to emerge during the campaign.
While the Democrats are positioning themselves to run against a wounded Trump and both inside the party and outside there are debates as to who is best suiting to take him on they should be considering who can handily beat a Romney/Flake ticket.
Biden/Beto not only has a ring to it, but this could be the winning ticket pitting another elder statesman candidate and a new blood candidate against a similar GOP ticket.
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Copyright © 2019 Capitol Hill Blue
1 thought on “Dems must consider running against Romney/Flake”
I think not.
“Romney would run as the elder statesman,”
As the vulture capitalist who bought up companies, raped them for every asset they had, and sold off the remains to sucker investors? Did you not see how well that went over against Mr. Obama?
“Both are Mormons who received their bachelors degrees from Brigham Young University. You can be sure there are no Stormy Daniels waiting to emerge during the campaign.”
Oh, wanna bet? Jimmy Bakker was a Man O’ God while boinking Jessica Hahn. Claiming they are religious people doesn’t mean they actually behave that way.
Personally, I’d like to see a ‘Sanders / O’Rourke’ ticket on the Democratic side. J.
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