Primary The President?

Will a Republican challenge Donald for the presidential nomination in 2020? Conservative Michael Gerson, writing at the Washington Post, hopes that someone does:

At this stage of the 2020 campaign, the Republican case against Trump is not mainly about policy or ideology (though it could be, eventually). It is not primarily about his ignorance and refusal to either learn or improve at his job (though that is concerning). The main Republican argument against Trump is this: He is a person of horrible character who corrupts everyone around him, undermines essential social standards and is branding his party with an image of bigotry that will last a generation.

The problem with Democrats making this argument about Trump's character is simple. To abandon the president in favor of a Democrat, Republican voters are forced, not just to value public character, but also to value public character above conservative economic policy, and above the appointment of conservative judges. And--though it pains me to say--not many Republicans place that much weight on matters of character. They will take Trump plus Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh over any Democrat of unimpeachable integrity. If, however, any of the serious Republican prospects--Nikki Haley, Jeff Flake, Bob Corker, Mitt Romney or John Kasich--run against Trump, Republican primary voters will face the challenge: Why not conservative policy and public character? 

This is the main reason a Republican on that list (or some talented candidate still unknown) must run. (Read the column here.)

And by-the-way, did you catch that reference to Mitt Romney? When I heard he was running for a senate seat in Utah I wondered if the White House was his real goal. Is the presidential fire still burning in Mittens' (he'll-be-73-years-old-on-election-day) heart? Probably. He won his race and will be a serving senator starting in January, albeit a very junior one. Would he be willing to take on the challenge of running against a sitting president? At this point nothing would surprise me. Click here to read what I wrote in February, when Mitt declared his senate candidacy.