In Ron we trust, Republican big beasts tell Trump

An influential group of conservative donors has bad news for Donald Trump ahead of his anticipated launch of a third presidential campaign.

Ron DeSantis is ahead in key states, new polling shows.

An influential group of conservative donors rained on Donald Trump’s anticipated launch of a third presidential campaign by releasing polling data showing his rival Ron DeSantis ahead in key states.

The Club for Growth, a group of wealthy tax-cutting campaigners, suggested it would move its support to the Florida governor, whom it said was leading Trump in the early primary states of Iowa and New Hampshire. DeSantis, 44, was also put comfortably ahead in Florida, Trump’s adopted home state, and in Georgia, the final Senate seat to be resolved in a run-off midterm vote next month.

Trump’s “big announcement” at his Mar-a-Lago club and residence in Palm Beach, which was due last night, will come shortly after his acolyte Kari Lake, a former TV anchor, was defeated in her attempt to become governor of Arizona. In one of the most-watched races of the midterm elections, Lake lost to Katie Hobbs, a Democrat who stood up for the veracity of the 2020 elections against Lake’s support for Trump’s false claims of fraud.

Lake’s defeat means that of the 16 candidates endorsed by Trump in governor, Senate and secretary of state contests in swing states that Biden won in 2020, only two — the Wisconsin senator Ron Johnson and Joe Lombardo, the Nevada governor-elect — have won their elections, with a run-off in Georgia to come.

Supporters of DeSantis cheer during an election night watch party

Democrats held the Senate and performed better than expected in the House of Representatives, where Republicans were on track for a very slim majority with fewer than 20 races still being counted.

“Republicans need to be united behind a strong candidate and a platform that shows voters real solutions to beat Biden and the Democrats in 2024,” said David McIntosh, president of the Club for Growth.

“Our polling shows that Republican primary voters recognise Trump’s insults against Republicans as hollow and counterproductive, and it’s taking a significant toll on his support.”

Trump, 76, responded on Truth Social, attacking the Club for Growth as “Rinos” (Republicans in name only) for opposing his endorsement of JD Vance, the Hillbilly Elegy author, who won in Ohio, a state Trump won twice.

“They wanted to get together with me (were losing a lot), made peace, and we had an unblemished list of endorsement victories, but sadly, broke over JD Vance, who they didn’t like, & I did,” he wrote.

“They spent a fortune against him, but I endorsed JD, he did great, & WON big. Guess they now like Rinos!”

In another sign of Republican sentiment shifting on Trump, 86 elected officials in Utah released a letter encouraging DeSantis to consider running for president. “Our nation stands at a crossroads. We recognise the need for a strong leader to guide and direct our nation, someone with a proven track record, strong conservative foundation, and who understands the operations of state government,” the letter said.

The Times