
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Now that the 2024 presidential race is off to a premature start, how about a little long-range armchair speculating? ; There is way too much time between now and November of 2024 to make any sort of rational predictions – but a little bank-shot fun speculation never hurts.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Vice President Pence</strong></h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">While I understand that conventional wisdom suggests that former Vice President Pence – as an enemy of the MAGA crowd &#8212; is not a favorite to win the Republican presidential nomination in 2024. ; Where would he get his support given the fact that he would have the hostile opposition of President Trump’s loyal base – meaning those who will vote for Trump in the primaries no matter who his opponents are? ;  ; </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">On the other hand, I do not believe Trump’s base is as large as Democrats and Trump suggest. ; Some say as much as 40 percent of the GOP voters. ; I say, no more than 15 percent and sinking. ; He may look strong today, but that is likely to weaken as other names come into play. ; I know too many supposed diehard Trump voters here in Florida who would vote for Governor DeSantis over Trump.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Pence’s potential for success would probably rely on all other candidates staying out of the race – especially Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. ; That is not going to happen.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">I am not postulating the notion that Pence could be Trump’s greatest threat based on Pence beating Trump – although I think he would in a one-on-one situation. ; But as the person who has spent four years inside the inner circle, Pence knows a lot. ; Were he to strategically unload on Trump in a campaign, he could be the most important witness for the prosecution in the court-of-public-opinion &#8212; and perhaps in one or more courts-of-law.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Of course, Pence would have to shed a bit of his nice guy image – but I can see him doing that. ; So, far he has not. ; But I believe that in view of how Trump has treated Pence, the former Vice President has a lot of potential getting even to do. ; In an aggressive tell-all campaign, Pence could do more damage to Trump than all the witnesses in the Capitol Hill riot hearings combined.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Congresswoman Liz Cheney</strong></h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Congresswoman Liz Cheney has committed her future to ensuring that Trump never again takes up residency in the White House. ; It is more than a passion. It is an obsession.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">There has been some speculation that she would mount a presidential campaign of her own as a means of bringing down Trump. ; That would be a fool’s mission. ; She has been essentially blackballed from the GOP. ; It is less about her attacks on Trump than her expanding attacks across the entire GOP. ; Her chance of beating Trump in a one-on-one &#8212; or even emerging with more than a single digit vote count – is slim to none.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Were she to get into the Republican primary races, she is arguably more likely to help Trump. ; If it were a one-on-one race with Trump – which is extremely unlikely – she would never get enough votes to defeat him in any primary. ; Trump would win handily. ; If there were multiple candidates, she would only further divide the vote and give Trump a better chance.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-summary"><strong>Summary</strong></h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The best situation for Trump could be Pence staying out and Cheney getting in.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">If Trump does announce his candidacy in the near future, it is sad news for the American people. ; It means no letup from the incessant 24/7 Trump-bashing news – especially with so-called news platforms like MSNBC that have Trump on an endless loop. ; Democrats love to keep Trump in the headlines – and so does Trump. ; It is we the people who must suffer Trump fatigue.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">So, there ‘tis. ;</p>

Can Pence be Trump’s greatest threat … and Cheney his greatest asset?
