2024 GOP Candidates Tread Lightly on Trump: When the Republican presidential hopefuls gather in Tuscaloosa for their debate, don’t hold your breath for them to break tradition and address Donald Trump’s legal troubles. Chris Christie stands out as the exception, putting Trump’s legal issues at the forefront of his underdog campaign against the frontrunner.
However, Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley are steering clear of criticizing Trump for allegations such as mishandling classified documents and conspiring to overturn the 2020 election. Campaign advisors and super PAC strategists supporting DeSantis and Haley believe that doing so could backfire and have the opposite effect.
These Republicans share their views with the understanding that their comments are not directly tied to the campaigns or super PACs they work for. Matt Gorman, a seasoned communicator who was a spokesman for Tim Scott’s now-suspended presidential bid, highlights the dilemma faced by the 2024 GOP candidates. Like DeSantis and Haley, Scott avoided using Trump’s alleged misdeeds as a basis for political attacks.
Gorman explains, “It doesnt move a single vote in the Republican primaries. All these pundits love to talk about taking on Trump head on. If it were that simple and theyre so smart, they should go do it. It takes more strategy than running head first into a wall.”
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