Oldbear83 said:

---

As long as you focus on Trump, you are missing the point. What is needed is winning over his base.

DeSantis is being very smart on that point. Governor DeSantis is simply ignoring Trump, which is the best way to handle him. And DeSantis' policies are exactly the common-sense measures MAGA Republicans will buy into.

Maybe 2-3 million of Trump's base are obsessed with the man, the rest support him because only Trump seems to be on message. DeSantis and anyone like him can win them over.

---

I agree with you on this. No argument. DeSantis won over the Hispanics (Cuban & Caribbean) by producing and following up on what he said. Cubans, Haitians, Dominicans, Puerto Rican cultures are all family oriented, hard working. I know that the temp workers Haitians are in demand, or were when I was working in South Florida.

Now, I do not know enough about the Mexican and Central American Hispanic cultures to say if he would attract them.

RMF5630 said:

---

Oldbear83 said:

---

As long as you focus on Trump, you are missing the point. What is needed is winning over his base.

DeSantis is being very smart on that point. Governor DeSantis is simply ignoring Trump, which is the best way to handle him. And DeSantis' policies are exactly the common-sense measures MAGA Republicans will buy into.

Maybe 2-3 million of Trump's base are obsessed with the man, the rest support him because only Trump seems to be on message. DeSantis and anyone like him can win them over.

---

I agree with you on this. No argument. DeSantis won over the Hispanics (Cuban & Caribbean) by producing and following up on what he said. Cubans, Haitians, Dominicans, Puerto Rican cultures are all family oriented, hard working. I know that the temp workers Haitians are in demand, or were when I was working in South Florida.

Now, I do not know enough about the Mexican and Central American Hispanic cultures to say if he would attract them.

---

The key to Trump is to understand that Trump did not create the GOP base which love his policies, he simply was able to recognize what the base wanted, and promised to act on it. For the most part, Trump delivered on that promise, which is what created his current support.

Trump is a bit like Fetterman. What I mean is, Fetterman had a sloppy look with his hoodie and casual way of speaking, but a report I read indicated PA voters identified with him more than they did Oz's expensive suit and perfect hair. Trump looks stupid in that red MAGA hat but it makes him look like a regular guy, especially compared to the career politicos.

Trump was smart enough to know he would never look or sound like Ronald Reagan, so he crafted his own campaign persona. What's needed now is someone smart enough to run with Trump's policies but sell it under their own brand. And ideally we need several good choices, not one person we depend on as a Messiah.

Oldbear83 said:

---

RMF5630 said:

---

Oldbear83 said:

---

As long as you focus on Trump, you are missing the point. What is needed is winning over his base.

DeSantis is being very smart on that point. Governor DeSantis is simply ignoring Trump, which is the best way to handle him. And DeSantis' policies are exactly the common-sense measures MAGA Republicans will buy into.

Maybe 2-3 million of Trump's base are obsessed with the man, the rest support him because only Trump seems to be on message. DeSantis and anyone like him can win them over.

---

I agree with you on this. No argument. DeSantis won over the Hispanics (Cuban & Caribbean) by producing and following up on what he said. Cubans, Haitians, Dominicans, Puerto Rican cultures are all family oriented, hard working. I know that the temp workers Haitians are in demand, or were when I was working in South Florida.

Now, I do not know enough about the Mexican and Central American Hispanic cultures to say if he would attract them.

---

The key to Trump is to understand that Trump did not create the GOP base which love his policies, he simply was able to recognize what the base wanted, and promised to act on it. For the most part, Trump delivered on that promise, which is what created his current support.

Trump is a bit like Fetterman. What I mean is, Fetterman had a sloppy look with his hoodie and casual way of speaking, but a report I read indicated PA voters identified with him more than they did Oz's expensive suit and perfect hair. Trump looks stupid in that red MAGA hat but it makes him look like a regular guy, especially compared to the career politicos.

Trump was smart enough to know he would never look or sound like Ronald Reagan, so he crafted his own campaign persona. What's needed now is someone smart enough to run with Trump's policies but sell it under their own brand. And ideally we need several good choices, not one person we depend on as a Messiah.

---

Once again dead on.

We have several this cycle - DeSantis, Halley, Pompeo, and Cotton (if he runs) all have similar policies to Trump WITHOUT the baggage.

Hogan to me is intriguing, he is conservative but was able to navigate a Democrat State in Maryland/DC area. Don't think he has persona to challenge, but he was able to get things done in a Dem stronghold.

I think it will be a DeSantis/Halley ticket which will be tough to beat.

The main thing about Donald Trump is he kept Hillary from becoming President. Nominated constitutionalist Supreme Court Judges and recognized Juresulem as the capital of Israel. Also his tax cuts etc help the economy grow greatly. If he doesn't run again it will be because of his age or his family doesn't want him to run again. It won't be because of the stiff ass establishment Republicans or the corrupt/ignorant/stupid/liberal/biased media.

RMF5630 said:

---

Oldbear83 said:

---

RMF5630 said:

---

Oldbear83 said:

---

As long as you focus on Trump, you are missing the point. What is needed is winning over his base.

DeSantis is being very smart on that point. Governor DeSantis is simply ignoring Trump, which is the best way to handle him. And DeSantis' policies are exactly the common-sense measures MAGA Republicans will buy into.

Maybe 2-3 million of Trump's base are obsessed with the man, the rest support him because only Trump seems to be on message. DeSantis and anyone like him can win them over.

---

I agree with you on this. No argument. DeSantis won over the Hispanics (Cuban & Caribbean) by producing and following up on what he said. Cubans, Haitians, Dominicans, Puerto Rican cultures are all family oriented, hard working. I know that the temp workers Haitians are in demand, or were when I was working in South Florida.

Now, I do not know enough about the Mexican and Central American Hispanic cultures to say if he would attract them.

---

The key to Trump is to understand that Trump did not create the GOP base which love his policies, he simply was able to recognize what the base wanted, and promised to act on it. For the most part, Trump delivered on that promise, which is what created his current support.

Trump is a bit like Fetterman. What I mean is, Fetterman had a sloppy look with his hoodie and casual way of speaking, but a report I read indicated PA voters identified with him more than they did Oz's expensive suit and perfect hair. Trump looks stupid in that red MAGA hat but it makes him look like a regular guy, especially compared to the career politicos.

Trump was smart enough to know he would never look or sound like Ronald Reagan, so he crafted his own campaign persona. What's needed now is someone smart enough to run with Trump's policies but sell it under their own brand. And ideally we need several good choices, not one person we depend on as a Messiah.

---

Once again dead on.

We have several this cycle - DeSantis, Halley, Pompeo, and Cotton (if he runs) all have similar policies to Trump WITHOUT the baggage.

Hogan to me is intriguing, he is conservative but was able to navigate a Democrat State in Maryland/DC area. Don't think he has persona to challenge, but he was able to get things done in a Dem stronghold.

I think it will be a DeSantis/Halley ticket which will be tough to beat.

---

I will vote for Desantis but not if his running mate is Halley, Pompeo or any of these other establishment hacks. The maga voters DO NOT want to go backwards to old style neocon GOP people and Neocon Nikki and CIA asset Pompeo are def not it. Now Kari Lake, yes. I'd even be ok with Tim Scott but not that big of a fan of him. Ideally give me Trump & Rand Paul or Desantis and Rand Paul or THomas Massey and you got something.

muddybrazos said:

---

RMF5630 said:

---

Oldbear83 said:

---

RMF5630 said:

---

Oldbear83 said:

---

As long as you focus on Trump, you are missing the point. What is needed is winning over his base.

DeSantis is being very smart on that point. Governor DeSantis is simply ignoring Trump, which is the best way to handle him. And DeSantis' policies are exactly the common-sense measures MAGA Republicans will buy into.

Maybe 2-3 million of Trump's base are obsessed with the man, the rest support him because only Trump seems to be on message. DeSantis and anyone like him can win them over.

---

I agree with you on this. No argument. DeSantis won over the Hispanics (Cuban & Caribbean) by producing and following up on what he said. Cubans, Haitians, Dominicans, Puerto Rican cultures are all family oriented, hard working. I know that the temp workers Haitians are in demand, or were when I was working in South Florida.

Now, I do not know enough about the Mexican and Central American Hispanic cultures to say if he would attract them.

---

The key to Trump is to understand that Trump did not create the GOP base which love his policies, he simply was able to recognize what the base wanted, and promised to act on it. For the most part, Trump delivered on that promise, which is what created his current support.

Trump is a bit like Fetterman. What I mean is, Fetterman had a sloppy look with his hoodie and casual way of speaking, but a report I read indicated PA voters identified with him more than they did Oz's expensive suit and perfect hair. Trump looks stupid in that red MAGA hat but it makes him look like a regular guy, especially compared to the career politicos.

Trump was smart enough to know he would never look or sound like Ronald Reagan, so he crafted his own campaign persona. What's needed now is someone smart enough to run with Trump's policies but sell it under their own brand. And ideally we need several good choices, not one person we depend on as a Messiah.

---

Once again dead on.

We have several this cycle - DeSantis, Halley, Pompeo, and Cotton (if he runs) all have similar policies to Trump WITHOUT the baggage.

Hogan to me is intriguing, he is conservative but was able to navigate a Democrat State in Maryland/DC area. Don't think he has persona to challenge, but he was able to get things done in a Dem stronghold.

I think it will be a DeSantis/Halley ticket which will be tough to beat.

---

I will vote for Desantis but not if his running mate is Halley, Pompeo or any of these other establishment hacks. The maga voters DO NOT want to go backwards to old style neocon GOP people and Neocon Nikki and CIA asset Pompeo are def not it. Now Kari Lake, yes. I'd even be ok with Tim Scott but not that big of a fan of him. Ideally give me Trump & Rand Paul or Desantis and Rand Paul or THomas Massey and you got something.

---

You would not be happy with DeSantis if you want Kari Lake, Trump or Rand Paul! DeSantis is very much an establishment guy that does what it takes to keep the economy and growth going. He is not going to do the Trump or Lake crap...

RMF5630 said:

---

muddybrazos said:

---

RMF5630 said:

---

Oldbear83 said:

---

RMF5630 said:

---

Oldbear83 said:

---

As long as you focus on Trump, you are missing the point. What is needed is winning over his base.

DeSantis is being very smart on that point. Governor DeSantis is simply ignoring Trump, which is the best way to handle him. And DeSantis' policies are exactly the common-sense measures MAGA Republicans will buy into.

Maybe 2-3 million of Trump's base are obsessed with the man, the rest support him because only Trump seems to be on message. DeSantis and anyone like him can win them over.

---

I agree with you on this. No argument. DeSantis won over the Hispanics (Cuban & Caribbean) by producing and following up on what he said. Cubans, Haitians, Dominicans, Puerto Rican cultures are all family oriented, hard working. I know that the temp workers Haitians are in demand, or were when I was working in South Florida.

Now, I do not know enough about the Mexican and Central American Hispanic cultures to say if he would attract them.

---

The key to Trump is to understand that Trump did not create the GOP base which love his policies, he simply was able to recognize what the base wanted, and promised to act on it. For the most part, Trump delivered on that promise, which is what created his current support.

Trump is a bit like Fetterman. What I mean is, Fetterman had a sloppy look with his hoodie and casual way of speaking, but a report I read indicated PA voters identified with him more than they did Oz's expensive suit and perfect hair. Trump looks stupid in that red MAGA hat but it makes him look like a regular guy, especially compared to the career politicos.

Trump was smart enough to know he would never look or sound like Ronald Reagan, so he crafted his own campaign persona. What's needed now is someone smart enough to run with Trump's policies but sell it under their own brand. And ideally we need several good choices, not one person we depend on as a Messiah.

---

Once again dead on.

We have several this cycle - DeSantis, Halley, Pompeo, and Cotton (if he runs) all have similar policies to Trump WITHOUT the baggage.

Hogan to me is intriguing, he is conservative but was able to navigate a Democrat State in Maryland/DC area. Don't think he has persona to challenge, but he was able to get things done in a Dem stronghold.

I think it will be a DeSantis/Halley ticket which will be tough to beat.

---

I will vote for Desantis but not if his running mate is Halley, Pompeo or any of these other establishment hacks. The maga voters DO NOT want to go backwards to old style neocon GOP people and Neocon Nikki and CIA asset Pompeo are def not it. Now Kari Lake, yes. I'd even be ok with Tim Scott but not that big of a fan of him. Ideally give me Trump & Rand Paul or Desantis and Rand Paul or THomas Massey and you got something.

---

You would not be happy with DeSantis if you want Kari Lake, Trump or Rand Paul! DeSantis is very much an establishment guy that does what it takes to keep the economy and growth going. He is not going to do the Trump or Lake crap...

---

He seems like he is trying to be a populist and fight on culture wars issues. I'm not sure how he wins over the MAGA voters if he is another Israel and corporate shill that wans to sell us out like Bush/Cheney.

muddybrazos said:

---

RMF5630 said:

---

muddybrazos said:

---

RMF5630 said:

---

Oldbear83 said:

---

RMF5630 said:

---

Oldbear83 said:

---

As long as you focus on Trump, you are missing the point. What is needed is winning over his base.

DeSantis is being very smart on that point. Governor DeSantis is simply ignoring Trump, which is the best way to handle him. And DeSantis' policies are exactly the common-sense measures MAGA Republicans will buy into.

Maybe 2-3 million of Trump's base are obsessed with the man, the rest support him because only Trump seems to be on message. DeSantis and anyone like him can win them over.

---

I agree with you on this. No argument. DeSantis won over the Hispanics (Cuban & Caribbean) by producing and following up on what he said. Cubans, Haitians, Dominicans, Puerto Rican cultures are all family oriented, hard working. I know that the temp workers Haitians are in demand, or were when I was working in South Florida.

Now, I do not know enough about the Mexican and Central American Hispanic cultures to say if he would attract them.

---

The key to Trump is to understand that Trump did not create the GOP base which love his policies, he simply was able to recognize what the base wanted, and promised to act on it. For the most part, Trump delivered on that promise, which is what created his current support.

Trump is a bit like Fetterman. What I mean is, Fetterman had a sloppy look with his hoodie and casual way of speaking, but a report I read indicated PA voters identified with him more than they did Oz's expensive suit and perfect hair. Trump looks stupid in that red MAGA hat but it makes him look like a regular guy, especially compared to the career politicos.

Trump was smart enough to know he would never look or sound like Ronald Reagan, so he crafted his own campaign persona. What's needed now is someone smart enough to run with Trump's policies but sell it under their own brand. And ideally we need several good choices, not one person we depend on as a Messiah.

---

Once again dead on.

We have several this cycle - DeSantis, Halley, Pompeo, and Cotton (if he runs) all have similar policies to Trump WITHOUT the baggage.

Hogan to me is intriguing, he is conservative but was able to navigate a Democrat State in Maryland/DC area. Don't think he has persona to challenge, but he was able to get things done in a Dem stronghold.

I think it will be a DeSantis/Halley ticket which will be tough to beat.

---

I will vote for Desantis but not if his running mate is Halley, Pompeo or any of these other establishment hacks. The maga voters DO NOT want to go backwards to old style neocon GOP people and Neocon Nikki and CIA asset Pompeo are def not it. Now Kari Lake, yes. I'd even be ok with Tim Scott but not that big of a fan of him. Ideally give me Trump & Rand Paul or Desantis and Rand Paul or THomas Massey and you got something.

---

You would not be happy with DeSantis if you want Kari Lake, Trump or Rand Paul! DeSantis is very much an establishment guy that does what it takes to keep the economy and growth going. He is not going to do the Trump or Lake crap...

---

He seems like he is trying to be a populist and fight on culture wars issues. I'm not sure how he wins over the MAGA voters if he is another Israel and corporate shill that wans to sell us out like Bush/Cheney.

---

Man, you go to extremes! But, MAGAs have a tendency to do that.

If you want to get things done and move the Nation forward you work within the system, not blow it up!

Trump did his bit, he got the 3 SCOTUS Justices through and kept Clinton out. We have wasted too much time on the MAGA, Jan 6th Commission, Green New Deal and all the other non-sense we have been wasting energy on since 2020. Time to get back to work. Infrastructure, education, military, technical manufacturing and energy. We lost enough time, we do another MAGA or Biden, China will catch us...

RMF5630 said:

---

muddybrazos said:

---

RMF5630 said:

---

muddybrazos said:

---

RMF5630 said:

---

Oldbear83 said:

---

RMF5630 said:

---

Oldbear83 said:

---

As long as you focus on Trump, you are missing the point. What is needed is winning over his base.

DeSantis is being very smart on that point. Governor DeSantis is simply ignoring Trump, which is the best way to handle him. And DeSantis' policies are exactly the common-sense measures MAGA Republicans will buy into.

Maybe 2-3 million of Trump's base are obsessed with the man, the rest support him because only Trump seems to be on message. DeSantis and anyone like him can win them over.

---

I agree with you on this. No argument. DeSantis won over the Hispanics (Cuban & Caribbean) by producing and following up on what he said. Cubans, Haitians, Dominicans, Puerto Rican cultures are all family oriented, hard working. I know that the temp workers Haitians are in demand, or were when I was working in South Florida.

Now, I do not know enough about the Mexican and Central American Hispanic cultures to say if he would attract them.

---

The key to Trump is to understand that Trump did not create the GOP base which love his policies, he simply was able to recognize what the base wanted, and promised to act on it. For the most part, Trump delivered on that promise, which is what created his current support.

Trump is a bit like Fetterman. What I mean is, Fetterman had a sloppy look with his hoodie and casual way of speaking, but a report I read indicated PA voters identified with him more than they did Oz's expensive suit and perfect hair. Trump looks stupid in that red MAGA hat but it makes him look like a regular guy, especially compared to the career politicos.

Trump was smart enough to know he would never look or sound like Ronald Reagan, so he crafted his own campaign persona. What's needed now is someone smart enough to run with Trump's policies but sell it under their own brand. And ideally we need several good choices, not one person we depend on as a Messiah.

---

Once again dead on.

We have several this cycle - DeSantis, Halley, Pompeo, and Cotton (if he runs) all have similar policies to Trump WITHOUT the baggage.

Hogan to me is intriguing, he is conservative but was able to navigate a Democrat State in Maryland/DC area. Don't think he has persona to challenge, but he was able to get things done in a Dem stronghold.

I think it will be a DeSantis/Halley ticket which will be tough to beat.

---

I will vote for Desantis but not if his running mate is Halley, Pompeo or any of these other establishment hacks. The maga voters DO NOT want to go backwards to old style neocon GOP people and Neocon Nikki and CIA asset Pompeo are def not it. Now Kari Lake, yes. I'd even be ok with Tim Scott but not that big of a fan of him. Ideally give me Trump & Rand Paul or Desantis and Rand Paul or THomas Massey and you got something.

---

You would not be happy with DeSantis if you want Kari Lake, Trump or Rand Paul! DeSantis is very much an establishment guy that does what it takes to keep the economy and growth going. He is not going to do the Trump or Lake crap...

---

He seems like he is trying to be a populist and fight on culture wars issues. I'm not sure how he wins over the MAGA voters if he is another Israel and corporate shill that wans to sell us out like Bush/Cheney.

---

Man, you go to extremes! But, MAGAs have a tendency to do that.

If you want to get things done and move the Nation forward you work within the system, not blow it up!

Trump did his bit, he got the 3 SCOTUS Justices through and kept Clinton out. We have wasted too much time on the MAGA, Jan 6th Commission, Green New Deal and all the other non-sense we have been wasting energy on since 2020. Time to get back to work. Infrastructure, education, military, technical manufacturing and energy. We lost enough time, we do another MAGA or Biden, China will catch us...

---

China has caught us already. The time to fix this was around 20 years ago but we had to invade the middle east. We cant defeat China on windmills, solar and EV cars. They're builiding coal plants and making things which we cant do bc of regulations. If Desantis has a plan for that then i'm all ears.

muddybrazos said:

---

RMF5630 said:

---

muddybrazos said:

---

RMF5630 said:

---

muddybrazos said:

---

RMF5630 said:

---

Oldbear83 said:

---

RMF5630 said:

---

Oldbear83 said:

---

As long as you focus on Trump, you are missing the point. What is needed is winning over his base.

DeSantis is being very smart on that point. Governor DeSantis is simply ignoring Trump, which is the best way to handle him. And DeSantis' policies are exactly the common-sense measures MAGA Republicans will buy into.

Maybe 2-3 million of Trump's base are obsessed with the man, the rest support him because only Trump seems to be on message. DeSantis and anyone like him can win them over.

---

I agree with you on this. No argument. DeSantis won over the Hispanics (Cuban & Caribbean) by producing and following up on what he said. Cubans, Haitians, Dominicans, Puerto Rican cultures are all family oriented, hard working. I know that the temp workers Haitians are in demand, or were when I was working in South Florida.

Now, I do not know enough about the Mexican and Central American Hispanic cultures to say if he would attract them.

---

The key to Trump is to understand that Trump did not create the GOP base which love his policies, he simply was able to recognize what the base wanted, and promised to act on it. For the most part, Trump delivered on that promise, which is what created his current support.

Trump is a bit like Fetterman. What I mean is, Fetterman had a sloppy look with his hoodie and casual way of speaking, but a report I read indicated PA voters identified with him more than they did Oz's expensive suit and perfect hair. Trump looks stupid in that red MAGA hat but it makes him look like a regular guy, especially compared to the career politicos.

Trump was smart enough to know he would never look or sound like Ronald Reagan, so he crafted his own campaign persona. What's needed now is someone smart enough to run with Trump's policies but sell it under their own brand. And ideally we need several good choices, not one person we depend on as a Messiah.

---

Once again dead on.

We have several this cycle - DeSantis, Halley, Pompeo, and Cotton (if he runs) all have similar policies to Trump WITHOUT the baggage.

Hogan to me is intriguing, he is conservative but was able to navigate a Democrat State in Maryland/DC area. Don't think he has persona to challenge, but he was able to get things done in a Dem stronghold.

I think it will be a DeSantis/Halley ticket which will be tough to beat.

---

I will vote for Desantis but not if his running mate is Halley, Pompeo or any of these other establishment hacks. The maga voters DO NOT want to go backwards to old style neocon GOP people and Neocon Nikki and CIA asset Pompeo are def not it. Now Kari Lake, yes. I'd even be ok with Tim Scott but not that big of a fan of him. Ideally give me Trump & Rand Paul or Desantis and Rand Paul or THomas Massey and you got something.

---

You would not be happy with DeSantis if you want Kari Lake, Trump or Rand Paul! DeSantis is very much an establishment guy that does what it takes to keep the economy and growth going. He is not going to do the Trump or Lake crap...

---

He seems like he is trying to be a populist and fight on culture wars issues. I'm not sure how he wins over the MAGA voters if he is another Israel and corporate shill that wans to sell us out like Bush/Cheney.

---

Man, you go to extremes! But, MAGAs have a tendency to do that.

If you want to get things done and move the Nation forward you work within the system, not blow it up!

Trump did his bit, he got the 3 SCOTUS Justices through and kept Clinton out. We have wasted too much time on the MAGA, Jan 6th Commission, Green New Deal and all the other non-sense we have been wasting energy on since 2020. Time to get back to work. Infrastructure, education, military, technical manufacturing and energy. We lost enough time, we do another MAGA or Biden, China will catch us...

---

China has caught us already. The time to fix this was around 20 years ago but we had to invade the middle east. We cant defeat China on windmills, solar and EV cars. They're builiding coal plants and making things which we cant do bc of regulations. If Desantis has a plan for that then i'm all ears.

---

We do agree on Iraq. That was just plain stupid, especially since we didn't even get a deal on oil. Afghanistan went too long and mission creep was rampant. Really since Kuwait, I have not agreed with sending troops.

Ukraine I have no issue with as long as there is an economic payback.

chriscbear said:

---

The main thing about Donald Trump is he kept Hillary from becoming President. Nominated constitutionalist Supreme Court Judges and recognized Juresulem as the capital of Israel. Also his tax cuts etc help the economy grow greatly. If he doesn't run again it will be because of his age or his family doesn't want him to run again. It won't be because of the stiff ass establishment Republicans or the corrupt/ignorant/stupid/liberal/biased media.

---

who gives 2 ****s about Israel? Thought you Trumpians were anti globalist...?

muddybrazos said:

---

RMF5630 said:

---

Oldbear83 said:

---

RMF5630 said:

---

Oldbear83 said:

---

As long as you focus on Trump, you are missing the point. What is needed is winning over his base.

DeSantis is being very smart on that point. Governor DeSantis is simply ignoring Trump, which is the best way to handle him. And DeSantis' policies are exactly the common-sense measures MAGA Republicans will buy into.

Maybe 2-3 million of Trump's base are obsessed with the man, the rest support him because only Trump seems to be on message. DeSantis and anyone like him can win them over.

---

I agree with you on this. No argument. DeSantis won over the Hispanics (Cuban & Caribbean) by producing and following up on what he said. Cubans, Haitians, Dominicans, Puerto Rican cultures are all family oriented, hard working. I know that the temp workers Haitians are in demand, or were when I was working in South Florida.

Now, I do not know enough about the Mexican and Central American Hispanic cultures to say if he would attract them.

---

The key to Trump is to understand that Trump did not create the GOP base which love his policies, he simply was able to recognize what the base wanted, and promised to act on it. For the most part, Trump delivered on that promise, which is what created his current support.

Trump is a bit like Fetterman. What I mean is, Fetterman had a sloppy look with his hoodie and casual way of speaking, but a report I read indicated PA voters identified with him more than they did Oz's expensive suit and perfect hair. Trump looks stupid in that red MAGA hat but it makes him look like a regular guy, especially compared to the career politicos.

Trump was smart enough to know he would never look or sound like Ronald Reagan, so he crafted his own campaign persona. What's needed now is someone smart enough to run with Trump's policies but sell it under their own brand. And ideally we need several good choices, not one person we depend on as a Messiah.

---

Once again dead on.

We have several this cycle - DeSantis, Halley, Pompeo, and Cotton (if he runs) all have similar policies to Trump WITHOUT the baggage.

Hogan to me is intriguing, he is conservative but was able to navigate a Democrat State in Maryland/DC area. Don't think he has persona to challenge, but he was able to get things done in a Dem stronghold.

I think it will be a DeSantis/Halley ticket which will be tough to beat.

---

I will vote for Desantis but not if his running mate is Halley, Pompeo or any of these other establishment hacks. The maga voters DO NOT want to go backwards to old style neocon GOP people and Neocon Nikki and CIA asset Pompeo are def not it. Now Kari Lake, yes. I'd even be ok with Tim Scott but not that big of a fan of him. Ideally give me Trump & Rand Paul or Desantis and Rand Paul or THomas Massey and you got something.

---

You Maga peeps are insane. Trump and your ilk are now persona non-grata as of 2 nights ago!

Sam Lowry said:

---

90sBear said:

---

If y'all want Trump to go away, I will say it again. You must be willing to state that you will not vote for him NO MATTER WHAT. Not in the primary, not as a third party (yes, he's the type to do it just to screw everyone over for his own ego), not even a "hold your nose" in the general.

These are only words that will work to make some people to hear.

---

Yep.

---

That would be a miscalculation.

RMF5630 said:

---

muddybrazos said:

---

RMF5630 said:

---

Oldbear83 said:

---

RMF5630 said:

---

Oldbear83 said:

---

As long as you focus on Trump, you are missing the point. What is needed is winning over his base.

DeSantis is being very smart on that point. Governor DeSantis is simply ignoring Trump, which is the best way to handle him. And DeSantis' policies are exactly the common-sense measures MAGA Republicans will buy into.

Maybe 2-3 million of Trump's base are obsessed with the man, the rest support him because only Trump seems to be on message. DeSantis and anyone like him can win them over.

---

I agree with you on this. No argument. DeSantis won over the Hispanics (Cuban & Caribbean) by producing and following up on what he said. Cubans, Haitians, Dominicans, Puerto Rican cultures are all family oriented, hard working. I know that the temp workers Haitians are in demand, or were when I was working in South Florida.

Now, I do not know enough about the Mexican and Central American Hispanic cultures to say if he would attract them.

---

The key to Trump is to understand that Trump did not create the GOP base which love his policies, he simply was able to recognize what the base wanted, and promised to act on it. For the most part, Trump delivered on that promise, which is what created his current support.

Trump is a bit like Fetterman. What I mean is, Fetterman had a sloppy look with his hoodie and casual way of speaking, but a report I read indicated PA voters identified with him more than they did Oz's expensive suit and perfect hair. Trump looks stupid in that red MAGA hat but it makes him look like a regular guy, especially compared to the career politicos.

Trump was smart enough to know he would never look or sound like Ronald Reagan, so he crafted his own campaign persona. What's needed now is someone smart enough to run with Trump's policies but sell it under their own brand. And ideally we need several good choices, not one person we depend on as a Messiah.

---

Once again dead on.

We have several this cycle - DeSantis, Halley, Pompeo, and Cotton (if he runs) all have similar policies to Trump WITHOUT the baggage.

Hogan to me is intriguing, he is conservative but was able to navigate a Democrat State in Maryland/DC area. Don't think he has persona to challenge, but he was able to get things done in a Dem stronghold.

I think it will be a DeSantis/Halley ticket which will be tough to beat.

---

I will vote for Desantis but not if his running mate is Halley, Pompeo or any of these other establishment hacks. The maga voters DO NOT want to go backwards to old style neocon GOP people and Neocon Nikki and CIA asset Pompeo are def not it. Now Kari Lake, yes. I'd even be ok with Tim Scott but not that big of a fan of him. Ideally give me Trump & Rand Paul or Desantis and Rand Paul or THomas Massey and you got something.

---

You would not be happy with DeSantis if you want Kari Lake, Trump or Rand Paul! DeSantis is very much an establishment guy that does what it takes to keep the economy and growth going. He is not going to do the Trump or Lake crap...

---

if you want him to win the primary, you need to avoid messaging like that part in bold. He's gotta be the opposite of that or he will not defeat Trump.

Thank you for sharing your opinion, Brandon.

whiterock said:

---

RMF5630 said:

---

muddybrazos said:

---

RMF5630 said:

---

Oldbear83 said:

---

RMF5630 said:

---

Oldbear83 said:

---

As long as you focus on Trump, you are missing the point. What is needed is winning over his base.

DeSantis is being very smart on that point. Governor DeSantis is simply ignoring Trump, which is the best way to handle him. And DeSantis' policies are exactly the common-sense measures MAGA Republicans will buy into.

Maybe 2-3 million of Trump's base are obsessed with the man, the rest support him because only Trump seems to be on message. DeSantis and anyone like him can win them over.

---

I agree with you on this. No argument. DeSantis won over the Hispanics (Cuban & Caribbean) by producing and following up on what he said. Cubans, Haitians, Dominicans, Puerto Rican cultures are all family oriented, hard working. I know that the temp workers Haitians are in demand, or were when I was working in South Florida.

Now, I do not know enough about the Mexican and Central American Hispanic cultures to say if he would attract them.

---

The key to Trump is to understand that Trump did not create the GOP base which love his policies, he simply was able to recognize what the base wanted, and promised to act on it. For the most part, Trump delivered on that promise, which is what created his current support.

Trump is a bit like Fetterman. What I mean is, Fetterman had a sloppy look with his hoodie and casual way of speaking, but a report I read indicated PA voters identified with him more than they did Oz's expensive suit and perfect hair. Trump looks stupid in that red MAGA hat but it makes him look like a regular guy, especially compared to the career politicos.

Trump was smart enough to know he would never look or sound like Ronald Reagan, so he crafted his own campaign persona. What's needed now is someone smart enough to run with Trump's policies but sell it under their own brand. And ideally we need several good choices, not one person we depend on as a Messiah.

---

Once again dead on.

We have several this cycle - DeSantis, Halley, Pompeo, and Cotton (if he runs) all have similar policies to Trump WITHOUT the baggage.

Hogan to me is intriguing, he is conservative but was able to navigate a Democrat State in Maryland/DC area. Don't think he has persona to challenge, but he was able to get things done in a Dem stronghold.

I think it will be a DeSantis/Halley ticket which will be tough to beat.

---

I will vote for Desantis but not if his running mate is Halley, Pompeo or any of these other establishment hacks. The maga voters DO NOT want to go backwards to old style neocon GOP people and Neocon Nikki and CIA asset Pompeo are def not it. Now Kari Lake, yes. I'd even be ok with Tim Scott but not that big of a fan of him. Ideally give me Trump & Rand Paul or Desantis and Rand Paul or THomas Massey and you got something.

---

You would not be happy with DeSantis if you want Kari Lake, Trump or Rand Paul! DeSantis is very much an establishment guy that does what it takes to keep the economy and growth going. He is not going to do the Trump or Lake crap...

---

if you want him to win the primary, you need to avoid messaging like that part in bold. He's gotta be the opposite of that or he will not defeat Trump.

---

That is where you seem wrong. There is a bigger part of the US that wants the President to be presidential and be able to work with the establishment. Only the fringe wants to blow things up. You do not move the nation forward blowing things up and being counterculture. Look at who the big winners were yesterday, republican governors that are adults.

RMF5630 said:

---

whiterock said:

---

RMF5630 said:

---

muddybrazos said:

---

RMF5630 said:

---

Oldbear83 said:

---

RMF5630 said:

---

Oldbear83 said:

---

As long as you focus on Trump, you are missing the point. What is needed is winning over his base.

DeSantis is being very smart on that point. Governor DeSantis is simply ignoring Trump, which is the best way to handle him. And DeSantis' policies are exactly the common-sense measures MAGA Republicans will buy into.

Maybe 2-3 million of Trump's base are obsessed with the man, the rest support him because only Trump seems to be on message. DeSantis and anyone like him can win them over.

---

I agree with you on this. No argument. DeSantis won over the Hispanics (Cuban & Caribbean) by producing and following up on what he said. Cubans, Haitians, Dominicans, Puerto Rican cultures are all family oriented, hard working. I know that the temp workers Haitians are in demand, or were when I was working in South Florida.

Now, I do not know enough about the Mexican and Central American Hispanic cultures to say if he would attract them.

---

The key to Trump is to understand that Trump did not create the GOP base which love his policies, he simply was able to recognize what the base wanted, and promised to act on it. For the most part, Trump delivered on that promise, which is what created his current support.

Trump is a bit like Fetterman. What I mean is, Fetterman had a sloppy look with his hoodie and casual way of speaking, but a report I read indicated PA voters identified with him more than they did Oz's expensive suit and perfect hair. Trump looks stupid in that red MAGA hat but it makes him look like a regular guy, especially compared to the career politicos.

Trump was smart enough to know he would never look or sound like Ronald Reagan, so he crafted his own campaign persona. What's needed now is someone smart enough to run with Trump's policies but sell it under their own brand. And ideally we need several good choices, not one person we depend on as a Messiah.

---

Once again dead on.

We have several this cycle - DeSantis, Halley, Pompeo, and Cotton (if he runs) all have similar policies to Trump WITHOUT the baggage.

Hogan to me is intriguing, he is conservative but was able to navigate a Democrat State in Maryland/DC area. Don't think he has persona to challenge, but he was able to get things done in a Dem stronghold.

I think it will be a DeSantis/Halley ticket which will be tough to beat.

---

I will vote for Desantis but not if his running mate is Halley, Pompeo or any of these other establishment hacks. The maga voters DO NOT want to go backwards to old style neocon GOP people and Neocon Nikki and CIA asset Pompeo are def not it. Now Kari Lake, yes. I'd even be ok with Tim Scott but not that big of a fan of him. Ideally give me Trump & Rand Paul or Desantis and Rand Paul or THomas Massey and you got something.

---

You would not be happy with DeSantis if you want Kari Lake, Trump or Rand Paul! DeSantis is very much an establishment guy that does what it takes to keep the economy and growth going. He is not going to do the Trump or Lake crap...

---

if you want him to win the primary, you need to avoid messaging like that part in bold. He's gotta be the opposite of that or he will not defeat Trump.

---

That is where you seem wrong. There is a bigger part of the US that wants the President to be presidential and be able to work with the establishment. Only the fringe wants to blow things up. You do not move the nation forward blowing things up and being counterculture. Look at who the big winners were yesterday, republican governors that are adults.

---

Now you're attacking over half of the people who vote in the GOP primary as crazy fringe-ists.

I didn't learn politics in wards & precincts, or the halls full of elected officials. I learned it overseas, where it really is Game of Thrones, every day....you literally win or you die. And in that world, there is one rule that must be obeyed above all others = never, ever, EVER attack your base. If you win, you have a smaller base; and if you lose....well, you lose. Politics is addition, remember. So every time you think "we have to win independents..." you have to remind yourself to also say "we have to win our base...." One cannot make it an either/or, which is the vanity of so many moderates who think they are above garden variety pandering. Anyone who thinks they're too good to pander to their base has no business being in politics. Politics by subtraction never works out very well.

There is only one Republican in sight who has a chance to defeat Trump, and that is primarily because he sprang from the MAGA base, with the same kind of slashing, in-your-face, rabble-rousing, Freedom Caucus obstructionism of leadership politics that the Maga-man himself is known for...the kind of hard-edged politics that says with great glee "Florida is where woke comes to die." (dear God how I loved that). He has spent his entire career wooing the Republican base. He's been adding. Adding establishment sentiment Adding soft-Magas. Etc.... The moment DeSantis backs away from that and starts to attack the MAGA-base the way you did...that is subtraction. It is the moment his campaign starts to curl up and die into nothing more than establishment vs base politics that actually will divide the party, with himself as the establishment.

The big winners yesterday are guys who dropped off illegal aliens at places like Washington DC and Martha's Vineyard, not guys who acted according to politically correct notions of adulthood. They threw some punches at the vanities of the new progressive cultural hegemony. Your argument should be that they are better than Trump at the game of enraging cultural establishments enraptured with wokeness...... Frankly, Desantis just might be that. But he has an awfully tall hill to climb gaining trust from the Maga faithful. Big step on Tuesday, for sure. But just one step. Long way to go.

Democrats do an outstanding job working with the crazies in their base, finding ways to keep them motivated and an overall positive force. Republicans absolutely SUCK at it. If we don't get a lot better at it, we will continue to underperform.

whiterock said:

---

RMF5630 said:

---

whiterock said:

---

RMF5630 said:

---

muddybrazos said:

---

RMF5630 said:

---

Oldbear83 said:

---

RMF5630 said:

---

Oldbear83 said:

---

As long as you focus on Trump, you are missing the point. What is needed is winning over his base.

DeSantis is being very smart on that point. Governor DeSantis is simply ignoring Trump, which is the best way to handle him. And DeSantis' policies are exactly the common-sense measures MAGA Republicans will buy into.

Maybe 2-3 million of Trump's base are obsessed with the man, the rest support him because only Trump seems to be on message. DeSantis and anyone like him can win them over.

---

I agree with you on this. No argument. DeSantis won over the Hispanics (Cuban & Caribbean) by producing and following up on what he said. Cubans, Haitians, Dominicans, Puerto Rican cultures are all family oriented, hard working. I know that the temp workers Haitians are in demand, or were when I was working in South Florida.

Now, I do not know enough about the Mexican and Central American Hispanic cultures to say if he would attract them.

---

The key to Trump is to understand that Trump did not create the GOP base which love his policies, he simply was able to recognize what the base wanted, and promised to act on it. For the most part, Trump delivered on that promise, which is what created his current support.

Trump is a bit like Fetterman. What I mean is, Fetterman had a sloppy look with his hoodie and casual way of speaking, but a report I read indicated PA voters identified with him more than they did Oz's expensive suit and perfect hair. Trump looks stupid in that red MAGA hat but it makes him look like a regular guy, especially compared to the career politicos.

Trump was smart enough to know he would never look or sound like Ronald Reagan, so he crafted his own campaign persona. What's needed now is someone smart enough to run with Trump's policies but sell it under their own brand. And ideally we need several good choices, not one person we depend on as a Messiah.

---

Once again dead on.

We have several this cycle - DeSantis, Halley, Pompeo, and Cotton (if he runs) all have similar policies to Trump WITHOUT the baggage.

Hogan to me is intriguing, he is conservative but was able to navigate a Democrat State in Maryland/DC area. Don't think he has persona to challenge, but he was able to get things done in a Dem stronghold.

I think it will be a DeSantis/Halley ticket which will be tough to beat.

---

I will vote for Desantis but not if his running mate is Halley, Pompeo or any of these other establishment hacks. The maga voters DO NOT want to go backwards to old style neocon GOP people and Neocon Nikki and CIA asset Pompeo are def not it. Now Kari Lake, yes. I'd even be ok with Tim Scott but not that big of a fan of him. Ideally give me Trump & Rand Paul or Desantis and Rand Paul or THomas Massey and you got something.

---

You would not be happy with DeSantis if you want Kari Lake, Trump or Rand Paul! DeSantis is very much an establishment guy that does what it takes to keep the economy and growth going. He is not going to do the Trump or Lake crap...

---

if you want him to win the primary, you need to avoid messaging like that part in bold. He's gotta be the opposite of that or he will not defeat Trump.

---

That is where you seem wrong. There is a bigger part of the US that wants the President to be presidential and be able to work with the establishment. Only the fringe wants to blow things up. You do not move the nation forward blowing things up and being counterculture. Look at who the big winners were yesterday, republican governors that are adults.

---

Now you're attacking over half of the people who vote in the GOP primary as crazy fringe-ists.

I didn't learn politics in wards & precincts, or the halls full of elected officials. I learned it overseas, where it really is Game of Thrones, every day....you literally win or you die. And in that world, there is one rule that must be obeyed above all others = never, ever, EVER attack your base. If you win, you have a smaller base; and if you lose....well, you lose. Politics is addition, remember. So every time you think "we have to win independents..." you have to remind yourself to also say "we have to win our base...." One cannot make it an either/or, which is the vanity of so many moderates who think they are above garden variety pandering. Anyone who thinks they're too good to pander to their base has no business being in politics. Politics by subtraction never works out very well.

There is only one Republican in sight who has a chance to defeat Trump, and that is primarily because he sprang from the MAGA base, with the same kind of slashing, in-your-face, rabble-rousing, Freedom Caucus obstructionism of leadership politics that the Maga-man himself is known for...the kind of hard-edged politics that says with great glee "Florida is where woke comes to die." (dear God how I loved that). He has spent his entire career wooing the Republican base. He's been adding. Adding establishment sentiment Adding soft-Magas. Etc.... The moment DeSantis backs away from that and starts to attack the MAGA-base the way you did...that is subtraction. It is the moment his campaign starts to curl up and die into nothing more than establishment vs base politics that actually will divide the party, with himself as the establishment.

The big winners yesterday are guys who dropped off illegal aliens at places like Washington DC and Martha's Vineyard, not guys who acted according to politically correct notions of adulthood. They threw some punches at the vanities of the new progressive cultural hegemony. Your argument should be that they are better than Trump at the game of enraging cultural establishments enraptured with wokeness...... Frankly, Desantis just might be that. But he has an awfully tall hill to climb gaining trust from the Maga faithful. Big step on Tuesday, for sure. But just one step. Long way to go.

Democrats do an outstanding job working with the crazies in their base, finding ways to keep them motivated and an overall positive force. Republicans absolutely SUCK at it. If we don't get a lot better at it, we will continue to underperform.

---

Half the people fell in line because of his intimidation. Based on my discussions with a pretty good cross-section of people, there are more Paul Ryan's out there than you think.

You are putting everyone that said they would vote for Trump against Biden as a MAGA. I am saying the MAGA make up a small percentage of the GOP and most would love to get away from Trump and his antics. DeSantis gives them that. Watch. There is a reason Trump didn't even wait until the election was over to attack DeSantis and unleash is attack MAGA's (Greene and Gaetz).

I think you are going to be shocked if you think 50% of GOP is solid for Trump as a candidate. I can run my Chesapeake Bay Retriever against Biden or Harris and get 50%. Not MAGA's....

Trying to push Warnock over the finish line ... again

"I am saying the MAGA make up a small percentage of the GOP"

That is incorrect. I agree that the MAGA acronym doesn't impress many, but the values and ideals espoused by Trump, however imperfectly, resonate with the GOP base and rejecting MAGA would send the message that the GOP is retreating to the days of Bush/McCain/Romney-style conventionalism.

The GOP would become a permanent minority party a generation if they were that foolish.

It's vital for the GOP to step back from emotion and pay attention to what the voters really care about:

• Globalism, when used to punish American interests, is wrong and must be stopped.
• Perverting Environmentalism to obsess on CO2 instead of clean water and viable environments, is wrong and must be stopped.
• We must be reluctant to go to war, anywhere.
• Spending money you do not have is stealing from your children, plain and dirty.
• There is no reason not to require ID to vote, or to not purge voter rolls
• Politicians must abide by the same laws as non-politicians
• Politicians who vote on taxes must prepare their own personal taxes
• Any social media which cancels accounts according to politics will be put out of business
• Assisting illegal entry into the US shall be a felony with a 20 year sentence per offense

That's a decent starting place.

Oldbear83 said:

---

"I am saying the MAGA make up a small percentage of the GOP"

That is incorrect. I agree that the MAGA acronym doesn't impress many, but the values and ideals espoused by Trump, however imperfectly, resonate with the GOP base and rejecting MAGA would send the message that the GOP is retreating to the days of Bush/McCain/Romney-style conventionalism.

The GOP would become a permanent minority party a generation if they were that foolish.

It's vital for the GOP to step back from emotion and pay attention to what the voters really care about:

• Globalism, when used to punish American interests, is wrong and must be stopped.
• Perverting Environmentalism to obsess on CO2 instead of clean water and viable environments, is wrong and must be stopped.
• We must be reluctant to go to war, anywhere.
• Spending money you do not have is stealing from your children, plain and dirty.
• There is no reason not to require ID to vote, or to not purge voter rolls
• Politicians must abide by the same laws as non-politicians
• Politicians who vote on taxes must prepare their own personal taxes
• Any social media which cancels accounts according to politics will be put out of business
• Assisting illegal entry into the US shall be a felony with a 20 year sentence per offense

That's a decent starting place.

---

You are mistaken some of the common positions and or believes between conservatives (Reagan Conservatives) and MAGA's.

Greene, Gaetz, and Rudi are MAGA. They DO NOT represent most of the GOP. Trump had the Bully Pulpit, but that is gone.

MAGA's are ready to blow up (not physically) Washington to get there way. That will never work. The systems and bureaucracy (I know most think of it as a bad word, but it serves a purpose) provide the stability and efficiency to get things done. If we did even half of what some of the people on this site wants, the Nation grinds to a halt. Need to work within the systems in place, not destroy them or blow them up, MAGA's want to blow it up. MAGA's and the Progressives use the same tactics. Same as Facists and Communists. Neither extreme works and is sustainable. US has been strong because we are not extremists.

RMF5630 said:

---

Oldbear83 said:

---

"I am saying the MAGA make up a small percentage of the GOP"

That is incorrect. I agree that the MAGA acronym doesn't impress many, but the values and ideals espoused by Trump, however imperfectly, resonate with the GOP base and rejecting MAGA would send the message that the GOP is retreating to the days of Bush/McCain/Romney-style conventionalism.

The GOP would become a permanent minority party a generation if they were that foolish.

It's vital for the GOP to step back from emotion and pay attention to what the voters really care about:

• Globalism, when used to punish American interests, is wrong and must be stopped.
• Perverting Environmentalism to obsess on CO2 instead of clean water and viable environments, is wrong and must be stopped.
• We must be reluctant to go to war, anywhere.
• Spending money you do not have is stealing from your children, plain and dirty.
• There is no reason not to require ID to vote, or to not purge voter rolls
• Politicians must abide by the same laws as non-politicians
• Politicians who vote on taxes must prepare their own personal taxes
• Any social media which cancels accounts according to politics will be put out of business
• Assisting illegal entry into the US shall be a felony with a 20 year sentence per offense

That's a decent starting place.

---

You are mistaken some of the common positions and or believes between conservatives (Reagan Conservatives) and MAGA's.

Greene, Gaetz, and Rudi are MAGA. They DO NOT represent most of the GOP. Trump had the Bully Pulpit, but that is gone.

MAGA's are ready to blow up (not physically) Washington to get there way. That will never work. The systems and bureaucracy (I know most think of it as a bad word, but it serves a purpose) provide the stability and efficiency to get things done. If we did even half of what some of the people on this site wants, the Nation grinds to a halt. Need to work within the systems in place, not destroy them or blow them up, MAGA's want to blow it up. MAGA's and the Progressives use the same tactics. Same as Facists and Communists. Neither extreme works and is sustainable. US has been strong because we are not extremists.

---

You are taking the MSNBC line and conflating MAGA voters with the few idiots who ignored the law on Jan. 6

And Reagan himself would have been a MAGA guy, just not a Trump guy.

Pretending the GOP can win with go-along conformists is political and civil suicide.

sombear said:

---

Since when is Desantis a go-along conformist? Or Youngkin? Or Kemp for that matter? These are strong conservatives who have taken on establishments of all kinds. Being a decent human being who gets things done and who doesn't support wild conspiracy theories does not make you go-along or establishment.

---

Don't much like Kemp, he's a "conservative" in the same way Pelosi loves America, but I don't know why you brought up DeSantis and Youngkin, who both built support among MAGA voters.

You might want to take a step back before assuming everyone who supports Maga is into conspiracy theories or is locked in to Trump.

And looking at other posts, you also might want to hold off on forecasts of doom until the votes are all counted.

Oldbear83 said:

---

RMF5630 said:

---

Oldbear83 said:

---

"I am saying the MAGA make up a small percentage of the GOP"

That is incorrect. I agree that the MAGA acronym doesn't impress many, but the values and ideals espoused by Trump, however imperfectly, resonate with the GOP base and rejecting MAGA would send the message that the GOP is retreating to the days of Bush/McCain/Romney-style conventionalism.

The GOP would become a permanent minority party a generation if they were that foolish.

It's vital for the GOP to step back from emotion and pay attention to what the voters really care about:

• Globalism, when used to punish American interests, is wrong and must be stopped.
• Perverting Environmentalism to obsess on CO2 instead of clean water and viable environments, is wrong and must be stopped.
• We must be reluctant to go to war, anywhere.
• Spending money you do not have is stealing from your children, plain and dirty.
• There is no reason not to require ID to vote, or to not purge voter rolls
• Politicians must abide by the same laws as non-politicians
• Politicians who vote on taxes must prepare their own personal taxes
• Any social media which cancels accounts according to politics will be put out of business
• Assisting illegal entry into the US shall be a felony with a 20 year sentence per offense

That's a decent starting place.

---

You are mistaken some of the common positions and or believes between conservatives (Reagan Conservatives) and MAGA's.

Greene, Gaetz, and Rudi are MAGA. They DO NOT represent most of the GOP. Trump had the Bully Pulpit, but that is gone.

MAGA's are ready to blow up (not physically) Washington to get there way. That will never work. The systems and bureaucracy (I know most think of it as a bad word, but it serves a purpose) provide the stability and efficiency to get things done. If we did even half of what some of the people on this site wants, the Nation grinds to a halt. Need to work within the systems in place, not destroy them or blow them up, MAGA's want to blow it up. MAGA's and the Progressives use the same tactics. Same as Facists and Communists. Neither extreme works and is sustainable. US has been strong because we are not extremists.

---

You are taking the MSNBC line and conflating MAGA voters with the few idiots who ignored the law on Jan. 6

And Reagan himself would have been a MAGA guy, just not a Trump guy.

Pretending the GOP can win with go-along conformists is political and civil suicide.

---

MAGA is the fringe. Like it or not, it is the fringe.

Reagan would NOT have been a MAGA. Do you even look at his policies before saying that?

Reagan stood behind NATO
Reagan was not an isolationist
Reagan granted Amnesty to illegals!
Reagan was dead set against pollution, he was the first to prosecute them and set up an FBI task force.
Reagan used the US Government to fight AIDS
You don't remember the "More Perfect Union"??? Real MAGA stuff.

Want to get into Foreign Policy "Making the World Over Again" or "The Shining City of the Hill" ?
Fighting Communism with Pope John Paull II? Lech Walesa in Poland?
Thatcher and the Special Relationship?

How about a few quiotes??

"This Administration's objective will be a healthy, vigorous, growing economy that provides equal opportunities for all Americans, with no barriers born of bigotry or discrimination. Putting America back to work means putting all Americans back to work. Ending inflation means freeing all Americans from the terror of runaway living costs. All must share in the productive work of this 'new beginning,' and all must share in the bounty of a revived economy."

"What our citizens must know is this: America faces a disease that is fatal and spreading. And this calls for urgency, not panic. It calls for compassion, not blame. And it calls for understanding, not ignorance. It's also important that America not reject those who have the disease, but care for them with dignity and kindness."


Real Trump stuff. Reagan united. He would never stand for the division and Trump's behavior and venom. About the only thing the two have in common is about their height. Trump *******ized Reagan's slogan. Sorry, not buying this one. I was there too...

You're acting delusional right now, you know that?

You still can't recognize that Trump USED MAGA, he did not define it.

DeSantis is MAGA, so is Youngkin. Ironically that's why Trump is going after them, they are much better at it than The Donald, so he sees his grip slipping.

That's a good thing. Spitting on millions of MAGA voters, well, that's a Pelosi thing.

Oldbear83 said:

---

You're f-ing delusional

You still can't recognize that Trump USED MAGA, he did not define it.

DeSantis is MAGA, so is Youngkin. Ironically that's why Trump is going after them, they are much better at it than The Donald, so he sees his grip slipping.

That's a good thing. Spitting on millions of MAGA voters, well, that's a Pelosi thing.

---

You look at Reagan and his policies and see Trump? Who is delusional?


Trump defiled Reagan's slogans. Trump has gone rabid. This is not the 2016 Trump. Read his tweets! That is Reagan?? Reagan would threaten someone to not run or else? I would think twice using the delusional word, you are defending Trump in a comparison with Reagan. Who is a little off his game?


"Sounds Chinese, doesn't it?"
"Ron DeSanctimonious,"

"I would tell you things about him that won't be very flattering I know more about him than anybody other than, perhaps, his wife,"

That is who you are defending Oldbear. That is MAGA, that is Reaganesque? And those that don't agree are delusional?

Oldbear83 said:

---

sombear said:

---

Since when is Desantis a go-along conformist? Or Youngkin? Or Kemp for that matter? These are strong conservatives who have taken on establishments of all kinds. Being a decent human being who gets things done and who doesn't support wild conspiracy theories does not make you go-along or establishment.

---

Don't much like Kemp, he's a "conservative" in the same way Pelosi loves America, but I don't know why you brought up DeSantis and Youngkin, who both built support among MAGA voters.

You might want to take a step back before assuming everyone who supports Maga is into conspiracy theories or is locked in to Trump.

And looking at other posts, you also might want to hold off on forecasts of doom until the votes are all counted.

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I have GA roots and have long followed GA politics. Kemp is a bona fide conservative and always has been. I mentioned Desantis and Youngkin b/c that is who Trump is now attacking.

I was not assuming or suggesting that. I'm a 2-time Trump voter and raised $ for him. I was making the point that the only reason MAGA folks think Kemp (and some others) is not conservative is b/c he did not buy into the election conspiracies. We have to be honest, Trump has made that a litmus test. I disagree with him on that.

Starting before the election, I have posted what my GOP sources have told me. They were correct before the election (unfortunately) and they have told me since Tues night that Masters, Laxalt, and Walker will lose. I still hope they are wrong. But I'll continue to post what I hear.

sombear said:

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Oldbear83 said:

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sombear said:

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Since when is Desantis a go-along conformist? Or Youngkin? Or Kemp for that matter? These are strong conservatives who have taken on establishments of all kinds. Being a decent human being who gets things done and who doesn't support wild conspiracy theories does not make you go-along or establishment.

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Don't much like Kemp, he's a "conservative" in the same way Pelosi loves America, but I don't know why you brought up DeSantis and Youngkin, who both built support among MAGA voters.

You might want to take a step back before assuming everyone who supports Maga is into conspiracy theories or is locked in to Trump.

And looking at other posts, you also might want to hold off on forecasts of doom until the votes are all counted.

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I have GA roots and have long followed GA politics. Kemp is a bona fide conservative and always has been. I mentioned Desantis and Youngkin b/c that is who Trump is now attacking.

I was not assuming or suggesting that. I'm a 2-time Trump voter and raised $ for him. I was making the point that the only reason MAGA folks think Kemp (and some others) is not conservative is b/c he did not buy into the election conspiracies. We have to be honest, Trump has made that a litmus test. I disagree with him on that.

Starting before the election, I have posted what my GOP sources have told me. They were correct before the election (unfortunately) and they have told me since Tues night that Masters, Laxalt, and Walker will lose. I still hope they are wrong. But I'll continue to post what I hear.

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Thank you. I agree with you. I do not think he did anything to be arrested and convicted. But, he has gone over the hill. If he doesn't get his way, he will try to burn the whole thing down. That is unacceptable AND DAMN SURE NOT REAGAN! Nixon wasn't that bad.

RMF5630 said:

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sombear said:

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Oldbear83 said:

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sombear said:

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Since when is Desantis a go-along conformist? Or Youngkin? Or Kemp for that matter? These are strong conservatives who have taken on establishments of all kinds. Being a decent human being who gets things done and who doesn't support wild conspiracy theories does not make you go-along or establishment.

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Don't much like Kemp, he's a "conservative" in the same way Pelosi loves America, but I don't know why you brought up DeSantis and Youngkin, who both built support among MAGA voters.

You might want to take a step back before assuming everyone who supports Maga is into conspiracy theories or is locked in to Trump.

And looking at other posts, you also might want to hold off on forecasts of doom until the votes are all counted.

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I have GA roots and have long followed GA politics. Kemp is a bona fide conservative and always has been. I mentioned Desantis and Youngkin b/c that is who Trump is now attacking.

I was not assuming or suggesting that. I'm a 2-time Trump voter and raised $ for him. I was making the point that the only reason MAGA folks think Kemp (and some others) is not conservative is b/c he did not buy into the election conspiracies. We have to be honest, Trump has made that a litmus test. I disagree with him on that.

Starting before the election, I have posted what my GOP sources have told me. They were correct before the election (unfortunately) and they have told me since Tues night that Masters, Laxalt, and Walker will lose. I still hope they are wrong. But I'll continue to post what I hear.

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Thank you. I agree with you. I do not think he did anything to be arrested and convicted. But, he has gone over the hill. If he doesn't get his way, he will try to burn the whole thing down. That is unacceptable AND DAMN SURE NOT REAGAN! Nixon wasn't that bad.

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For sure. It's not inconsistent to oppose the Jan 6 cmtee and all their silly accusations but also think Trump is wrong on the election conspiracies and behaved badly on Jan 6.

RMF: "You look at Reagan and his policies and see Trump? Who is delusional?"

No, I have always said - and you even agreed - that REAGAN started MAGA and Trump just used the principles of MAGA for his own advancement.

What worked for Trump was when he followed the MAGA course. It's when he let his ego get in the way that he went off the rails.

DeSantis is MAGA, so is Lake, so is Youngkin. Trump is Trump, he's gone off from what worked, that's part of what hurt him in 2020 (Trusting Fauci at first, letting lockdowns happen with COVID, waiting too late to fight against Vote by Mail, etc.).

In 2016 Trump was the only candidate supporting returning jobs to the US, standing up to Russia, and backing US energy independence. That's why, warts and all, he smeared the field in 2016 and won the GOP nomination easily.

Now there are others doing the message better. Even Abbott, who screwed up the Ice Storm power failures last year, is better at imaging the issues than Trump, and Trump is melting down because of it.

What's needed now is to bring the MAGA voters to where they see better options. Dissing the MAGA voters is a great way to lose elections.

Oldbear83 said:

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RMF: "You look at Reagan and his policies and see Trump? Who is delusional?"

No, I have always said - and you even agreed - that REAGAN started MAGA and Trump just used the principles of MAGA for his own advancement.

What worked for Trump was when he followed the MAGA course. It's when he let his ego get in the way that he went off the rails.

DeSantis is MAGA, so is Lake, so is Youngkin. Trump is Trump, he's gone off from what worked, that's part of what hurt him in 2020 (Trusting Fauci at first, letting lockdowns happen with COVID, waiting too late to fight against Vote by Mail, etc.).

In 2016 Trump was the only candidate supporting returning jobs to the US, standing up to Russia, and backing US energy independence. That's why, warts and all, he smeared the field in 2016 and won the GOP nomination easily.

Now there are others doing the message better. Even Abbott, who screwed up the Ice Storm power failures last year, is better at imaging the issues than Trump, and Trump is melting down because of it.

What's needed now is to bring the MAGA voters to where they see better options. Dissing the MAGA voters is a great way to lose elections.

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I agree he used the phrase "Make America Great Again". But MAGA has become more than a slogan. It is a movement and a lot of the movement and especially their tactics is not inclusionary or positive. Reagan was an optimist, pragmatic but optimistic on America and the American spirit, never mean.

Trump is not. Trump has made the Reagan message negative and his tactics bullish.

As I have said before, I liked a lot of Trump's policies. I thought he was Reaganesque in 2016, with the Black Colleges, Prison Reform, Ukrainian sale of TOW missiles to preserve independence, defense of Israel, Abraham Accords and his allowing the military to defeat ISIS. There was a lot that Reagan would like. If you listen to early interviews he still had a sense of humor.

But, in the last 3 years he has morphed into something else. And his followers have gotten savage. His latest after the election, is not the Trump that ran in 2016. That Trump was even light hearted a little and made jokes. This one is vicious. Maybe Dems and constant fighting made him this way. But, I can't see him being a leader of a Nation.

You guys can disagree, that is where I am coming from.

RMF5630 said:

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Oldbear83 said:

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RMF: "You look at Reagan and his policies and see Trump? Who is delusional?"

No, I have always said - and you even agreed - that REAGAN started MAGA and Trump just used the principles of MAGA for his own advancement.

What worked for Trump was when he followed the MAGA course. It's when he let his ego get in the way that he went off the rails.

DeSantis is MAGA, so is Lake, so is Youngkin. Trump is Trump, he's gone off from what worked, that's part of what hurt him in 2020 (Trusting Fauci at first, letting lockdowns happen with COVID, waiting too late to fight against Vote by Mail, etc.).

In 2016 Trump was the only candidate supporting returning jobs to the US, standing up to Russia, and backing US energy independence. That's why, warts and all, he smeared the field in 2016 and won the GOP nomination easily.

Now there are others doing the message better. Even Abbott, who screwed up the Ice Storm power failures last year, is better at imaging the issues than Trump, and Trump is melting down because of it.

What's needed now is to bring the MAGA voters to where they see better options. Dissing the MAGA voters is a great way to lose elections.

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I agree he used the phrase "Make America Great Again". But MAGA has become more than a slogan. It is a movement and a lot of the movement and especially their tactics is not inclusionary or positive. Reagan was an optimist, pragmatic but optimistic on America and the American spirit, never mean.

Trump is not. Trump has made the Reagan message negative and his tactics bullish.

As I have said before, I liked a lot of Trump's policies. I thought he was Reaganesque in 2016, with the Black Colleges, Prison Reform, Ukrainian sale of TOW missiles to preserve independence, defense of Israel, Abraham Accords and his allowing the military to defeat ISIS. There was a lot that Reagan would like. If you listen to early interviews he still had a sense of humor.

But, in the last 3 years he has morphed into something else. And his followers have gotten savage. His latest after the election, is not the Trump that ran in 2016. That Trump was even light hearted a little and made jokes. This one is vicious. Maybe Dems and constant fighting made him this way. But, I can't see him being a leader of a Nation.

You guys can disagree, that is where I am coming from.

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Well, I do disagree. I live in a predominantly Asian neighborhood, and while they have cooled on Trump, they are still very big on MAGA.

I honestly think you are trusting too much on the media's sliming of MAGA and missing most of the message.

Yes, MAGA is a movement, just as Reagan created the Young Republicans in the 1980s MAGA is attracting Blacks, Asians and Latinos like nothing I ever saw before.

And hell no, it's not hateful or exclusionist. The people I see in MAGA are many races, and include a lot of young families.

You keep focusing on Trump when MAGA has moved on from Trump. In fact that's why he is so mad now, his creation has grown up and moved out on its own.

Trump is a corporatist blue blood, Bill Clinton Democrat, Northern elite that has somehow conned you folks into thinking he's an Everyman conservative. He's not a foreign interferer until he is. Like droning Iranian generals, killing Russian soldiers in Syria, establishing a pro-Israel Jerusalem embassy (Trump was all in with Israel), arming the Saudi's in Yemen, and giving Ukraine offensive weapons. He even managed to raise some taxes. Heck some of you forgot he increased our troop presence in Afghanistan before he decided to scale back late in his term. I'm not even arguing some of those decisions are wrong, but the Delta between Trump and neo cons isn't as large as some of you have been led to believe.

whiterock said:

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RMF5630 said:

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whiterock said:

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RMF5630 said:

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muddybrazos said:

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RMF5630 said:

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Oldbear83 said:

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RMF5630 said:

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Oldbear83 said:

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As long as you focus on Trump, you are missing the point. What is needed is winning over his base.

DeSantis is being very smart on that point. Governor DeSantis is simply ignoring Trump, which is the best way to handle him. And DeSantis' policies are exactly the common-sense measures MAGA Republicans will buy into.

Maybe 2-3 million of Trump's base are obsessed with the man, the rest support him because only Trump seems to be on message. DeSantis and anyone like him can win them over.

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I agree with you on this. No argument. DeSantis won over the Hispanics (Cuban & Caribbean) by producing and following up on what he said. Cubans, Haitians, Dominicans, Puerto Rican cultures are all family oriented, hard working. I know that the temp workers Haitians are in demand, or were when I was working in South Florida.

Now, I do not know enough about the Mexican and Central American Hispanic cultures to say if he would attract them.

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The key to Trump is to understand that Trump did not create the GOP base which love his policies, he simply was able to recognize what the base wanted, and promised to act on it. For the most part, Trump delivered on that promise, which is what created his current support.

Trump is a bit like Fetterman. What I mean is, Fetterman had a sloppy look with his hoodie and casual way of speaking, but a report I read indicated PA voters identified with him more than they did Oz's expensive suit and perfect hair. Trump looks stupid in that red MAGA hat but it makes him look like a regular guy, especially compared to the career politicos.

Trump was smart enough to know he would never look or sound like Ronald Reagan, so he crafted his own campaign persona. What's needed now is someone smart enough to run with Trump's policies but sell it under their own brand. And ideally we need several good choices, not one person we depend on as a Messiah.

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Once again dead on.

We have several this cycle - DeSantis, Halley, Pompeo, and Cotton (if he runs) all have similar policies to Trump WITHOUT the baggage.

Hogan to me is intriguing, he is conservative but was able to navigate a Democrat State in Maryland/DC area. Don't think he has persona to challenge, but he was able to get things done in a Dem stronghold.

I think it will be a DeSantis/Halley ticket which will be tough to beat.

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I will vote for Desantis but not if his running mate is Halley, Pompeo or any of these other establishment hacks. The maga voters DO NOT want to go backwards to old style neocon GOP people and Neocon Nikki and CIA asset Pompeo are def not it. Now Kari Lake, yes. I'd even be ok with Tim Scott but not that big of a fan of him. Ideally give me Trump & Rand Paul or Desantis and Rand Paul or THomas Massey and you got something.

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You would not be happy with DeSantis if you want Kari Lake, Trump or Rand Paul! DeSantis is very much an establishment guy that does what it takes to keep the economy and growth going. He is not going to do the Trump or Lake crap...

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if you want him to win the primary, you need to avoid messaging like that part in bold. He's gotta be the opposite of that or he will not defeat Trump.

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That is where you seem wrong. There is a bigger part of the US that wants the President to be presidential and be able to work with the establishment. Only the fringe wants to blow things up. You do not move the nation forward blowing things up and being counterculture. Look at who the big winners were yesterday, republican governors that are adults.

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Now you're attacking over half of the people who vote in the GOP primary as crazy fringe-ists.

I didn't learn politics in wards & precincts, or the halls full of elected officials. I learned it overseas, where it really is Game of Thrones, every day....you literally win or you die. And in that world, there is one rule that must be obeyed above all others = never, ever, EVER attack your base. If you win, you have a smaller base; and if you lose....well, you lose. Politics is addition, remember. So every time you think "we have to win independents..." you have to remind yourself to also say "we have to win our base...." One cannot make it an either/or, which is the vanity of so many moderates who think they are above garden variety pandering. Anyone who thinks they're too good to pander to their base has no business being in politics. Politics by subtraction never works out very well.

There is only one Republican in sight who has a chance to defeat Trump, and that is primarily because he sprang from the MAGA base, with the same kind of slashing, in-your-face, rabble-rousing, Freedom Caucus obstructionism of leadership politics that the Maga-man himself is known for...the kind of hard-edged politics that says with great glee "Florida is where woke comes to die." (dear God how I loved that). He has spent his entire career wooing the Republican base. He's been adding. Adding establishment sentiment Adding soft-Magas. Etc.... The moment DeSantis backs away from that and starts to attack the MAGA-base the way you did...that is subtraction. It is the moment his campaign starts to curl up and die into nothing more than establishment vs base politics that actually will divide the party, with himself as the establishment.

The big winners yesterday are guys who dropped off illegal aliens at places like Washington DC and Martha's Vineyard, not guys who acted according to politically correct notions of adulthood. They threw some punches at the vanities of the new progressive cultural hegemony. Your argument should be that they are better than Trump at the game of enraging cultural establishments enraptured with wokeness...... Frankly, Desantis just might be that. But he has an awfully tall hill to climb gaining trust from the Maga faithful. Big step on Tuesday, for sure. But just one step. Long way to go.

Democrats do an outstanding job working with the crazies in their base, finding ways to keep them motivated and an overall positive force. Republicans absolutely SUCK at it. If we don't get a lot better at it, we will continue to underperform.

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If you grew up politically where you said, then it's more never ever lose control of your military. The people are only part of the means to the outcome.