GOP Sen. Bill Cassidy, one of seven Republicans who voted to convict President Donald Trump in his second impeachment trial, said he doesn’t believe the former commander in chief will be the party’s nominee in 2024.
During a Sunday morning interview on CNN, Cassidy said he doesn’t believe Trump will be the nominee during the next presidential race, citing his age and the party’s 2020 performance as the impetus.
“First, CPAC is not the entirety of the Republican Party. That’s No. 1. No. 2, political organizations and campaigns are about winning. Over the last four years, we lost the House of Representatives, the Senate, and the presidency. That has not happened in a single four years under a president since Herbert Hoover. Now, if we plan to win in 2022 and 2024, we have to listen to the voters,” he said.
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“I don’t think — one, he’ll be 78 years old — but I don’t think he’ll be our nominee for the reasons I’ve said,” Cassidy continued. “Our agenda does not move forward unless we win. We need a candidate who cannot only win himself or herself, but we have to have someone who lifts all boats. And that’s clearly not happened over the last four years, so that’s a theoretical that I don’t think will come to pass.”
During his first public address since leaving the presidency, Trump told a raucous crowd at the Conservative Political Action Conference on Sunday night that he wouldn’t be starting a new party and teased a potential 2024 bid.
The former president brought up claims of a fraudulent election, alleging that he won in 2020. Following his November defeat by now-President Biden, Trump, his campaign, and many Republicans claimed that the election was stolen and filled with fraud in battleground states. The courts, including the Supreme Court, widely rejected dozens of lawsuits.
“Actually, as you know, they just lost the White House, but it’s one of those things. But who knows? Who knows? I may even decide to beat them for a third time, OK?” Trump said.
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While Cassidy said he doesn’t believe Trump will be the party’s nominee, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who has feuded with Trump since the election, said he’d “absolutely” support Trump if he does get the nomination. Additionally, former White House trade adviser Peter Navarro said on Sunday, “[Trump] will be on the ballot in 2024.”
Sen. Mitt Romney, a Utah Republican who also voted to impeach Trump, said he believes the former president would be able to secure the nomination if he were to run again in 2024.
Cassidy just won reelection and is not up until 2026, while Romney will be facing reelection in 2024.
