I wish I understood this:
A few…developments in recent weeks point to the early stirrings of a Republican Party in which Trump is sidelined. Glenn Youngkin’s recent victory in the Virginia governor’s race demonstrated that a Republican candidate could win in a battleground state without yoking himself to Trump. Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, now making the rounds to promote a new book that counters Trump’s claim that he won the 2020 election, signaled that he might run for the 2024 GOP nomination whether or not Trump enters the race. A poll last month offered encouraging news for Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in New Hampshire, the state that traditionally holds the first primary contest of the presidential-election season.
Youngkin — who eked out a monumental 1.9 % win — was endorsed by Trump and while he didn’t fervently embrace him, he certainly didn’t reject him either. (Also, Virginia always votes for the out party for Governor.) Chris Christie has twisted himself into a distorted Auntie Em’s cheese covered pretzel trying to stay on Trump voters’ good side (and keep Fox Happy) while feebly attempting to separate himself from the man himself. Ron DeSantis is Trump 2.0. And if he rejects Dear Leader, the blowback is going to be fierce.
GOP Governors may be trying to separate themselves from Trump but the national party is superglued to the man and will remain so unless he is either incapacitated or dead. Because he is running:
The only reason he hasn’t announced is because of campaign finance rules that would require him to curtail some of his grift. But he will. He can hardly contain himself.
If people think he’s somehow losing his grip on the party, good luck.