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Silly title I know, but the point here is what if Trump ran as an independent in 2024?
Suppose early primaries in 2024 go badly for him, and instead of taking it like a man, Trump announces an independent run?
Some states have laws against that, but we'll get to those in a minute. Firstly it's necessary to look at the timing: States keep open a place for major party nominees, but generally close ballot access before major party primaries are finished. North Carolina closes Mar 3 (of the election year) which coincidentally was Super Tuesday in 2020. However the vast bulk of states don't close the Presidential ballot until August. Even if the R primary calendar was really quite different, Trump could drop out right after Super Tuesday and still be able to register in most States.
According to Ballotpedia, only two states have "sore loser" laws that apply to Presidential candidates. There's a long list (33 states plus DC) of sore losers who DID get on the ballot. The two states where "sore loser" might apply to a Presidential candidate are South Dakota and Texas. That's not likely to bother Trump much, though Texas is a must-win for him to have a realistic chance. He'll kid himself he can win on write-ins, right up until the point he realizes that write-ins are only counted in Texas if the candidate was allowed to register for them.
A Trump Party would wreck Republicans horrendously ... or would it? It's possible that Trump might take some states and deny either party the required majority in the Electoral College. The election would then go to Congress who most likely would appoint the Republican duo (whether they came first second or third in the College). Trump followers will believe anything from his mouth, and the clue to getting out maximum Trump vote would be the (probably faulty) reasoning that his voters will get the lesser of two evils even if they DO split the vote.
Some questions:
1. CAN Trump do it?
2. WOULD Trump do it?
3. WOULD it screw the Republican in the General Election?
Suppose early primaries in 2024 go badly for him, and instead of taking it like a man, Trump announces an independent run?
Some states have laws against that, but we'll get to those in a minute. Firstly it's necessary to look at the timing: States keep open a place for major party nominees, but generally close ballot access before major party primaries are finished. North Carolina closes Mar 3 (of the election year) which coincidentally was Super Tuesday in 2020. However the vast bulk of states don't close the Presidential ballot until August. Even if the R primary calendar was really quite different, Trump could drop out right after Super Tuesday and still be able to register in most States.
According to Ballotpedia, only two states have "sore loser" laws that apply to Presidential candidates. There's a long list (33 states plus DC) of sore losers who DID get on the ballot. The two states where "sore loser" might apply to a Presidential candidate are South Dakota and Texas. That's not likely to bother Trump much, though Texas is a must-win for him to have a realistic chance. He'll kid himself he can win on write-ins, right up until the point he realizes that write-ins are only counted in Texas if the candidate was allowed to register for them.
A Trump Party would wreck Republicans horrendously ... or would it? It's possible that Trump might take some states and deny either party the required majority in the Electoral College. The election would then go to Congress who most likely would appoint the Republican duo (whether they came first second or third in the College). Trump followers will believe anything from his mouth, and the clue to getting out maximum Trump vote would be the (probably faulty) reasoning that his voters will get the lesser of two evils even if they DO split the vote.
Some questions:
1. CAN Trump do it?
2. WOULD Trump do it?
3. WOULD it screw the Republican in the General Election?
