Now that the 2020 election is over, this question remains: Will President Trump run again in four years? Though the prospect may appeal to many in the Republican Party, it should not be encouraged.
There is no denying the power of the Trump brand. A combination of charisma and controversy propelled him from a long-shot candidate in June 2015 to the man who would permanently change the face of politics. Even though he will not be in the White House this next term, Trump’s effect will be sizable. Like it or not, the GOP will be shaped by his presidency far into the future. But this does not mean his history-making turn as leader of the nation should be repeated.
Among other things, a second Trump term would commence when he is 78. President-elect Joe Biden is 78 now, and Republicans rightly criticize his age. The same concern for mental and physical sharpness should be applied to any politician regardless of party. But in the larger picture, this is a minor factor. Most of all, the country desperately needs to move past the toxicity that has been brewing for the past several years. This strain is neither good nor the fault of one side. Politicians, the media, and regular citizens alike have become far too invested and obsessively combative, to the detriment of all.
The relationship between Trump and the media is symbiotic. We have a leader who spends far too much time sharing opinions, conspiracies, and insults on social media. This is unbecoming of the office he holds. At the same time, a media dominated by the Left is so enraged at almost every word and action that it is often incapable of anything resembling unbiased journalism. The cycle must end or at least be significantly reduced. And with his loss to Biden, Trump is exiting the stage.
During his time in office, Trump has enjoyed a fair amount of success as a Republican politician. While these victories have his name attached to them, they could be expected of any GOP president. It is possible to have similar wins at the national level without the division that the current president actively promotes. To do that, the party needs to find another leader instead of trying to elect Trump again.
Trump enjoys enormous popularity within the Republican Party. At the same time, his very demeanor has pushed away an untold number of voters who otherwise would have unquestionably supported him at the polls. His behavior and the rationalization of it created a type of disaffected Republican who simply could not join the crowd. The Trump era has brought with it a number of wins but has also weakened the GOP. To what extent and for how long, this has yet to be determined. If the party desires to rebuild after its presidential election loss, it should accept the defeat and look elsewhere for 2024 hopes.
This mindset should apply to Trump family members as well in both presidential and other races. Lara Trump has shown interest in running for the Senate for North Carolina, and voters favor her as well. However, family connections do not signify capability and should not be rewarded with elected office. As Trump exits the political stage, so too should his family.
The president has floated the idea of running in 2024, and a majority of Republicans and independents believe he will do just that. But what can be done and what should be done are two entirely different things. For a variety of reasons, the Republican Party should begin a new chapter that doesn’t include the de facto leader of the GOP as its next presidential candidate. There are other, younger, capable politicians who wouldn’t often make a wild embarrassment out of their time in the Oval Office. For the future of the nation and the party, this is the only viable direction.
Kimberly Ross (@SouthernKeeks) is a contributor to the Washington Examiner’s Beltway Confidential blog and a columnist at Arc Digital.
