In recent political history, if a Republican president was to be seriously primaried it would be because he had been seen as too moderate, not conservative enough, and too willing to compromise. It happened to President Gerald Ford when he was nearly defeated by Ronald Reagan in 1976, and it happened again as Pat Buchanan nearly upset incumbent George Bush Sr.
However, the discussed primary challenge against President Trump is of a different character. Instead of lambasting the president as not conservative enough, they have instead taken the avenue of labeling him as divisive. Pundits argue his tariffs and immigration restrictions go against the neoliberal economics that the party stands for, while Trump’s foreign policy has many neoconservatives within the party labeling it as defeatist and damaging.
A serious primary challenge to Trump has not yet formed, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t any possible contenders. Bill Weld, former governor of Massachusetts and 2016 Libertarian Vice Presidential nominee, has recently switched back to the Republican Party and has an announcement set for February 19th in New Hampshire.
Other potential challengers have taken up media jobs, such as former Ohio governor John Kasich and former Arizona senator Jeff Flake. Perhaps the two most serious challengers would be the former senator of Tennessee Bob Corker and Governor Larry Hogan of Maryland, two outspoken moderates that have opposed the administration’s policies.
In any case of a challenge, the administration has already been strong arming delegates to the 2020 convention to make sure they vote for the President among other methods to secure the nomination and can always rely on his high approval ratings among Republicans. For the time being, it’s still Trump’s party.
