The never-Trumper’s, and certainly President Trump himself, will seek to laugh off the decision by former Massachusetts governor William Weld to challenge Trump for the Republican nomination. But actually, this is a very serious problem for the president.
Weld announced Friday morning that he’s going to give it a shot, no doubt getting him invites to all the Sunday talk shows.
The reason some GOP money, and probably the anti-Trump faction of the Republican Party, will likely get behind Weld is that they understand that Weld doesn’t have to win, and he probably won’t. But they know that he only has to injure Trump enough to harm his prospects for the general election.
The reason some GOP money, and probably the anti-Trump faction of the Republican Party, will likely get behind Weld is that they understand that Weld doesn’t have to win, and he probably won’t. But they know that he only has to injure Trump enough to harm his prospects for the general election.
History doesn’t always repeat itself, but the history for presidents who get primary challengers is not good. George H.W. Bush was challenged by Patrick Buchanan and lost in the general election to Bill Clinton in 1992. Gerald Ford was forced to run in the 1976 primary against Ronald Reagan and lost his reelection bid to Jimmy Carter. And Lyndon Johnson decided not to even make a try for reelection as challengers piled up in the Democratic primaries.
Weld may not be the only challenger. I’m willing to bet that the eternally self-indulgent former Ohio Governor John Kasich will give it a try too. Trump is going to have to expend resources to combat them, and he will be under constant attack from within his own party, possibly hurting his polls.
The president’s political advisors certainly know all of this. I am sure that while publicly they will dismiss Weld, privately they will take him very seriously.
William Weld is a Problem for Trump
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By Keith Koffler
- February 15, 2019
- @ 10:22 am
17 thoughts on “William Weld is a Problem for Trump”
Here is his Bio on Wikipedia.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Weld
I watch Boston TV. Sen. Warren gets all the coverage. I see MA is just 14% Republican.
I lived twelve years in Massachusetts. One of my sons graduated college and grad school in Boston. I loved living and visiting there, but it is a liberal, far left state except for small pockets. A Republican politician will be a full-fledged RHINO!!! Especially, William Weld.
Who? Have they learned nothing from the 2016 election yet, geez.
Assuming MrTrump does decide to run for re-election, he will have more than enough support (and big donors) to weather any
attacking no-name nobody.
Right. These morons would rather see a Democrat get elected than to re-elect a man who has gotten things done. Simply because they don’t like the way he talks or acts or his hair or some other hideous brain fart they have had.
I thought Ross Perot help Bush to lose
That was also a factor. Fifty seven percent of America voted against Bill Clinton.
That is why I hope there is a special place in Hell for Ross Perot. He gave us 25 years of the national nightmare known as the Clintons. And they STILL haven’t gone away.
HW Bush abandoned his base by breaking a campaign promise. Trump is doing precisely the opposite.
HW got held hostage by George Mitchell. Ironically the taxes were raised on the rich. Which is what the Democraps are always calling for.
https://www.taxpolicycenter.org/laws-proposals/major-enacted-tax-legislation-1990-1999#omnibus-budget-reconciliation-act-of-1990
I remember Weld from way back when he actually was a national political figure – in the 90s. Hmm. So, he is 73 and he hasn’t run a serious campaign since 1996 (failed Senate). I’m not sure I would call his run with Gary Johnson on the Libertarian ticket in 2016 serious. It’s not good to draw resources away from Trump, but I think those people/that money wouldn’t have been his anyway and it’s hard to see how anything Weld would have to say about Trump could be worse than what the Dems say. But we’ll see…..
A large number of voters aren’t even going to know who Weld is.
And GHW. Bush was a crappy, lukewarm president as was Gerald Ford. Donald Trump is not.
Traitors from within.
But I think people are going to look at what President Trump HAS accomplished and what Wm. Weld SAYS he can produced.
Who would be Weld’s running mate–a defrocked Justice Department or FBI executive?
Weld couldn’t make a successful run at Trump if his life depended on it. A joke entry, looking for his day on Meet The Depressed.
Great comment!
If you had to choose, who/what would would receive your support? Your choices are:
a) Donald Trump
b) the United States
There is no c).
I ask this because I have become genuinely concerned about where loyalties in in the “Base” have shifted.
B but when voting you can bet your $ss I am voting Republican You could not beat me and make me vote Democrat EVER and I WILL NOT STAY HOME
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