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Are Democrats Helping Trump Get the GOP Nomination?

Are Democrats Helping Trump Get the GOP Nomination?

President Trump has a base of folks in the Republican Party who are determined to nominate him as the GOP standard-bearer in 2024 – and to move into the Oval Office in January of 2025. 

There are endless ways to examine that story, but one facet is rather interesting.  That is what seems to be the efforts of Democrats and left-wing media to support Trump’s ambitions – at least as far as the primary goes.

It is not unheard of that an opposition party would work to nominate a candidate of another party because they believe he or she would be the easier candidate to beat.  For lessor offices, folks from one party are sometimes encouraged to actually vote in the other party’s primary to nominate the perceived weakest candidate.

It does not always work.  Historically, California Governor Pat Brown and President Jimmy Carter both worked and prayed that they would get Ronald Reagan as their opponent.  They did – and the results are history.  In the 2020 midterm election, Democrats went so far as to spend millions of dollars to nominate those they saw as the weaker candidates – the Trump candidates.  In that case, their cynical strategy worked as most were defeated.

This year the collective left appears to be aiding and abetting Trump’s desire to be the GOP nominee in 2024 in a backhanded way – but not with money or praise. But by mercilessly attacking – building sympathy among Republican voters.  

I cannot say that it is a preconceived strategy or just a result of their aggressive attacks – but whatever it is, it seems to be working.  As Trump comes under increasingly harsh winnowing attacks, his numbers go up.  He has moved from being the once impossible candidate to the level of a possible candidate.

Readers will recall that I was among those who saw virtually no possibility of Trump winning the GOP nomination.  I have now had to hedge that bet.  I still believe it is unlikely – just no longer impossible.  And I credit that to the Democrats’ constant attacks in the media and the use of Democrat prosecutors to undertake investigations of virtually every aspect of Trump’s life – even issues that are decades old.

They report on what had been considered minor infractions as if they are capital offenses.  Manhattan Prosecutor Alvin Bragg is even taking an old civil case and using novel legal arguments to elevate it to a jailable felony.  A riot becomes an insurrection and even an ongoing coup attempt.  Even the White House documents case – a civil infraction – is being pursued as a major felony.  (Although, I do concede that Trump’s refusal to return the documents put him in a different category than all other comparable cases.)

Even folks who may not like Trump and were prepared to back an opposition candidate, seem to be giving Trump their support because of the excessive attacks that seem so political.  That is why his numbers are going up at a time Democrats thought they should be going down.  Perhaps that is why Florida Governor Ron DeSantis surged and is now declining a bit as the candidate of choice.

Some Democrats worry that the excessive attacks – especially from the prosecutors – are backfiring.  Those concerns come from people who sincerely want Trump removed from all manners of power and influence.  

But others seem to understand that the attacks enhance Trump — and they pile on to get him the Republican nomination.  Perhaps that is too cynical on my part.  The fact remains, however, that the constant legal and media assaults on Trump are not hurting him politically – arguably helping him.

The case that has many on the left apoplectic is the Stormy Daniels Case.  In the past, most Democrats and left-wing pundits were ready to put Trump on the gallows for the payoff to the professional skin flute player.  Now they worry that (1) the case is weak and over-charged and (2) by going first, it may undermine those other cases being handled by the prosecutor in Fulton County, Georgia, the White House Documents Case being handled by the Department of Justice, and the January 6th Case in the hands of a special counsel.

Some on the left are now worrying that not only will the aggressive prosecution help Trump, but that any cases that are dropped – or where they fail to secure a conviction – will be a major boost for him and reflect badly on Democrats.

As a result, the once certain indictment in the Stormy Daniels case is now only a probability as of this writing.   There is debate as to how far the Department of Justice will proceed.  Is it a civil issue or will they bring criminal charges based on obstruction of justice?  Even those on the left are no longer confident that Attorney General Garland will throw the book at Trump.

And as far as the left-wing television former prosecutors are concerned, convicting Trump of insurrection will be very, very difficult since they must prove intent and convince all twelve jurors.  It is hard to imagine that any jury would not have at least one member sympathetic to Trump.  And that prospect improves if there is the wider public perception of excessive prosecution across-the-board.

It seems that the left-wing media has oversold both the nature of the cases and the prospects of convictions.  ILs the aggressive prosecutions and the hyperbolic reporting going to backfire?

So, there ‘tis.

About The Author

Larry Horist

So, there ‘tis… The opinions, perspectives and analyses of businessman, conservative writer and political strategist Larry Horist. Larry has an extensive background in economics and public policy. For more than 40 years, he ran his own Chicago based consulting firm. His clients included such conservative icons as Steve Forbes and Milton Friedman. He has served as a consultant to the Nixon White House and travelled the country as a spokesman for President Reagan’s economic reforms. Larry professional emphasis has been on civil rights and education. He was consultant to both the Chicago and the Detroit boards of education, the Educational Choice Foundation, the Chicago Teachers Academy and the Chicago Academy for the Performing Arts. Larry has testified as an expert witness before numerous legislative bodies, including the U. S. Congress, and has lectured at colleges and universities, including Harvard, Northwestern and DePaul. He served as Executive Director of the City Club of Chicago, where he led a successful two-year campaign to save the historic Chicago Theatre from the wrecking ball. Larry has been a guest on hundreds of public affairs talk shows, and hosted his own program, “Chicago In Sight,” on WIND radio. An award-winning debater, his insightful and sometimes controversial commentaries have appeared on the editorial pages of newspapers across the nation. He is praised by audiences for his style, substance and sense of humor. Larry retired from his consulting business to devote his time to writing. His books include a humorous look at collecting, “The Acrapulators’ Guide”, and a more serious history of the Democratic Party’s role in de facto institutional racism, “Who Put Blacks in That PLACE? -- The Long Sad History of the Democratic Party’s Oppression of Black Americans ... to This Day”. Larry currently lives in Boca Raton, Florida.

14 Comments

  1. frank stetson

    Larry with another comedy piece that is just not funny, again. He takes Trump’s case as whiner in chief playing victim while blaming those devil Democrats for a cake Trump has baked. It is Trump’s plan to create havoc and he knows how to choose it.

    Trump had the short-lived hooker affair while Melania had a baby.

    Trump set up “catch and kill” with NY Post as testified to the other day in order to stop all these women from telling Trump stories.
    Trump paid the hush money that put Cohen in jail and named Trump as unindicted co-conspirator #1.

    Trump pre-announced his own indictment jumpstarting his primary plan and immediately raising over $1.5M overnight.

    Trump has monetarized victimhood bringing in more millions after his whacko Waco rants.

    Team Trump took the leader to extort support from major Republicans under a “stand and deliver” message from the candidate forcing sides. It wasn’t Democrats that forced Republicans to speak out in favor of this lunatic, it was Team Trump that called them and demanded they pick sides. It was Larry’s team taking the lead.

    Trumplicants are hearing his words and sending death threats, white powders, and who know to the Manhattan DA.

    It will be Republicans that select their candidate; Democrats can’t shape that unless Republicans lose or concede their own narrative to Trump or give up and blame the Democrats for their pre-dick-ament.

    As always, a few, too few, Republicans stand up, protest, and now are taking the death threats from the Trump Army. Larry only meekly protests and I doubt that the meek will inherit Trump’s scorched Earth.

    “Baby needs new shoes” and Trump needs money, Trump also needs adulation. Like a Hollywood studio knowing exactly how much money a sequel will bring in, even before they shoot the first frame of film, Trump probably knows exactly what each case of victimhood will bring in terms of hard cash from his Army. All he needs is a bogyman like the Manhattan DA to ignite the fire his frustrated followers already feel.

    He kicked this one off, not the Democrats, not the DA. Trump will let this one soak, knowing he’s got Georgia and the 1/6/2021 Republican Insurrection sequels yet to fill his coffers with gold.

    What does Larry expect Democrats to do? Ignore these antics? Pretend they don’t matter, they will go away, he might become Presidential…. He will just keep coming if history is prelude to the present. I haven’t seen many pundits say NY is a major case, just that it’s putting old laws together in a new way which adds risk and that the punishment, if any, will be meager. Based on past law at least. But do you expect us to ignore a dick with a baseball bat juxtaposed against the Manhattan DA he has nominated as “a Soros backed animal,” and called for “death and destruction” if indicted. Lucky for him, “I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody, and I wouldn’t lose any voters, OK?”

    And now the guy who demurs at Trump’s rhetoric but loves the policy wants Democrats to stand down and stand quiet? Aren’t you the Law and Order Party that supports law and order? What’s going on here? Larry, I wonder when you might stand up and say something. Your lame, “but I don’t like his personality” is the weakest of tea’s. At this point, whether we push back or ignore, nothing changes. He will keep coming, he will keep naming targets. He will keep advocating violence. Why not stand up to this BULLSHIT? This dangerous, destructive, divisive, BULLSHIT. All LIES.

    You may try to blame us for your dilemma but I am wondering when you will take your party back and quit bending over, taking it up the ass, and then blaming others for the situation you created?

    We are not stopping. We will see all three of these investigations (as well as all the other ones) to the end, one way or another. You got issues with the law, bring it on. We may lose, but we will not stand down. That’s your game, bendover boy.

  2. Mike f

    Larry, Glad to see that you are finally realizing that you will have trump at the head of your ticket, however the reason for that is not because the “wily” democrats are pushing his candidacy. Instead the reasons are two-fold: most importantly, republicans are stupid-they do not believe that character in an elected official matter (you definitely fall into this group as you flail and try to point out all the ‘good things’ trump did while ignoring his faults and failures economically and in foreign relations). To a large extent, conservative media is responsible for this by not accurately reporting the news of the day. The second reason that trump will be your nominee is that republican elected officials are terrified of him and refuse to say a bad word about him. Your desantis is definitely spineless and falls into this category…. The only republicans with spine (and of course I mean Kinzinger and Cheney lest you get confused) have been pushed aside by yourself and other ignorant pundits and politicians on the right…
    So will you wake up tomorrow and realize what the real issues are? Doubtful, but here they are…

  3. Darren

    You two must really be FAT in order to lean the scale that far Left.
    In 1 year your opinion will hold no merit.
    What makes you so sure the Powder came from a Republican?

  4. frank stetson

    Darren, you are correct, I am not sure, the word “alleged” should have been attached, sorry.

    HOWEVER — given the rhetoric of violence coming from the bully pulpit of Mar A Loser including the prophecy of “death and destruction” from a man who calls himself Mr. Retribution, given the Republican extremist violence conducted since 2020 including 1,000 Republican arrests after the Republican Capitol Insurrection of 1.6.2021, given the support of extremism from Republican leaders across the country, given the bomb scare three days earlier at the Trump trial, it’s a pretty good assumption.

    But it is an assumption, it should be “alleged.”

  5. Frank stetson

    Hi, we’re from the Manhattan DA and we’re here to help your donor drive!

    Perp walk and campaign poster mug shot next.

    Innocent until proven guilty Mr unidentified co-conspirators number 1.

    Another first!

  6. frank stetson

    Throwing a bone to Trump, looks like he will be arraigned on Tuesday which means he got the day right when announcing his indictment. Granted it’s a couple weeks off, it’s an arraignment, but close enough to call it a Trump victory!

    Great job. Sure are Making Arraignment Great Again.

    • Joseph S. Bruder

      Interesting that DeSantis has said Florida won’t cooperate in extraditing Trump if he doesn’t surrender willingly. DeSantis is bound by federal law to extradite felons for trial. It’s a two-fer – Trump has just taken both himself and DeSantis out of the next election.

      All I can say is “it’s about fucking time”, and wait for the deluge as the other half-dozen investigations into Trump and his evil spawn start to turn up more indictments. And watch Trump run his mouth and incriminate himself even more.

      • frank stetson

        Josepi, good to have you reappear.

        Actually, IMO, this move shows Desantctimonious’ adept political skills. Think about it. He looks like SuperMagaman by toeing the line, standing firm, and tossing the gauntlet to those jack-booted goobermint thugs dressed in black who be warrantlessly knock knock knocking at Trump’s door. While speaking faster than a speeding bullet, he didn’t have to be more powerful than his locomotive breadth or leap tall buildings in a single bound. All DeSantis had to do is open his big fat mouth, no other actions needed. Let the presses roll, let the video clips be seen. The political beauty of his move is: do you really think Trump will allow DeSantis to save him so he can live his life in only one of the 50 states while anointing DeSantis as his hero and savior? NBL —- not bloody likely.

        Thus —- brilliant!!! nicely played madam. Like most DeSantis political actions, Great PR, nothing tangible done. It is the way.

        What’s in his wallet? Hot air, nothing but hot air. Brilliant!

        FYI FYI — neither are election affected; Trumpy is making more money than ever and the mug-shot-poster will be worth millions. On this one, Trump can be found guilty and still run for the office, I believe. Even with the 30 charges they are talking about, assumed, not verified.

        But one down, two to go, and then a bunch of little ones. He will be a berry berry busy bud.

        I do like how in the 24/7 MSNBC coverage, they’ve taking down the crazy-man Trump photos and are running the serious-man Trump photos. I think they want him to win while FOX now wants him to lose. Strange days for sure.

        • Joseph S. Bruder

          Not for long, just needed to gloat a little about Trump. I wasted too much time at this site… For you and a couple of others, it’s preaching to the choir… for Larry and his regular cohort of crazies, I might as well talk to a brick wall. They don’t have the capacity to follow or understand a logical argument. The only thing that may change a few minds is seeing Dear Leader finally get sent to prison. Even then, he’ll stretch it out for another couple of years, and his followers already think it’s all about politics, no matter how much evidence is in front of them. It’s not worth my time.

          But I’m glad to see you’re still kicking! It looks like most of the RWNJ’s have given up trying to overcome your arguments. It’s down to you and Mike against Larry, and he’s so far up Fox’s ass that he can’t hear the rest of the country.

          Good luck!

          • larry Horist

            Joseph S Bruder … Given the childish and grossly inaccurate level of your response, I shall think of you slouching in your off-the-grid life. Perhaps a more appropriate pen name for you would be Joseph S Brooder — a pitiful bitter, arrogant and ignorant person. I and I am betting you cannot stay away from the site. You obviously read it regularly. And that is because for you it is more than politics — if you know what I mean.

          • frank stetson

            It’s his opinion Larry and, as such, it’s about as grossly inaccurate a level as your response. Way to stick to issues and avoid looking like a gutter snipe.

  7. Tony L Bell

    That we have seen in the past is still the standard today, Trump thrives in controversy. Remember in 2016 Trump spent far far less than Hillary yet everytime the Media was turned on Trump was front and center. Good or bad press has no bearing on Trump’s popularity because of his close relationship with his supporters. That close relationship is founded on respect for his taking on the establishment and the evil doings of the democrats. I am convinced that president Donald John Trump is under devine providence, doing our creators will. Every attempt to “get Trump” confirms supporters suspicions and opens new eyes to the truth. God bless and keep DJT. Amen

    • frank stetson

      Tony, you seem like a pleasant enough chap, with a lovely wife, that’s enjoying your later years with the best that American has to offer. We would probably be friends IF we didn’t mention politics.

      Because you revere a guy who ran up 25% of the total debt that the US has; that includes the debt of every President before Trump, and, to date, the one after. That’s 46 guys running up the debt but only one guy that owns 25% of the current load. Along the way, Mr. Businessman returned the lowest Gdp growth since Herbert Hoover, another genius of the economy.

      You revere God — what’s that mean about what he did to people, even kids, at the border? Is that the way of Jesus? It certainly broke our amnesty agreements with the other developed nations. Was 1/6/2021 the act of a man of God? He sat for over three hours watching the violence unfold on his TV, eating burgers, tossing them at the wall when he got the phone call pleading for a response.

      Yes, he blocks out the media sun and takes all coverage. So did COVID. It’s his plan to take everyone else out media-wise, he does it with obscene bullying, lies, and then lies on top of the lies because he has learned it works for him. In NYC, he used to call anonymously, sometimes disguising his voice, to ask the press to print who he was bouncing in bed with just to get some coverage. Once his wife, yeah he did it while married, that’s your guy, begged him to stop for the children’s sake. They did not need to hear it. He laughed. That’s your guy.

      Yes he has supporters, so did (fill in the blank, you know where I am going) and they are willing to go to jail for him. Or at least they thought so on 1.6.2021, maybe not so much so in 2023. If he’s under divine providence, it’s not from above, it’s the other guy.

      You all can keep those knickers knotted, but it will be a long, boring, siege. This case probably won’t get a court date for at least a year. There’s a good chance the Fed or Georgia may start earlier due to NY’s pretrial motion process differences.
      It will be boring unless Trump, Cohen or Daniels testifies, especially Cohen.

      And he will be found guilty many times; there’s just too much paperwork proving the point. It will be amazing if he doesn’t plead out, but not certain whether Bragg will even allow it. He’s got to be pissed and that might get personal.

      But, on the felony(s) — different story, may be a bit more exciting, and there’s definitely a higher risk of meaningful punishment.
      So, skip the popcorn unless Trump mouths off or the deplorables deploy and we do 1.6.2021 all over again. Otherwise, settle in for a number of years before any real conclusions. Frankly, the excitement will be the Georgia indictment, how they decide to proceed Trump’s stealing of the document thefts, and what happens, if anything, about the 1.6.2021 Republican Insurrection to Steal the Presidency.

  8. Sidney J. Jolly

    Donald Trump has a lock on about 30% of Republican voters, which gives him a plurality of primary voters if the other 70% is split up among 3 or more Republican primary candidates. So, he gets the nomination. Then what? Many Republican Party leaders are going to feel like members of the US 7th Cavalry, riding to the Little Bighorn River, in June, 1876.