The first rule of Donald Trump’s presidential campaign is that the rules don’t apply to him. Things that would doom virtually any other candidate don’t even dent Trump’s poll numbers.
So it’s risky to predict that anything from Wednesday night’s debate will hurt him, even though he turned in an uneven performance at best. But Jeb Bush’s contention that he rebuffed the favor-seeking billionaire when he sought to build casinos in Florida could impact Trump.
“You wanted [casino gambling], and you didn’t get it, because I was opposed to it,” the former governor, who is number two in the Washington Examiner‘s presidential power rankings, said. Trump repeatedly denied the claim, describing it as “wrong” and “totally false.”
But Trump’s history of agitating for casino gambling in Florida is fairly well documented. His denials seem unlikely to stand up to serious scrutiny.
Perhaps more importantly, it could create the impression that Trump’s entire presidential campaign is a grudge match against Bush, much like some believed that billionaire Ross Perot wanted to settle old scores with Bush’s father in 1992.
Not everyone will believe it. Trump has loyal supporters who feel only he speaks to their anger at the Republican establishment and the political class. He also attracts some low-information voters who like his celebrity but are unlikely to follow the details of his Florida business dealings.
But others considering Trump might not like him as much if he seems to be just another politician, or worse someone running with ulterior motives. It certainly fits into a possible conservative critique of Trump as someone who has enriched himself through cronyism, eminent domain and litigation.
