By Michael Graham
With a fresh stack of polls showing him well ahead in the Republican presidential primary, former president Donald Trump largely ignored his GOP opponents and focused his political fire on President Biden during a recent campaign stop in New Hampshire.
It was the latest sign the Trump campaign hopes to put the primary to bed before it even begins, presenting its candidate as the inevitable nominee and rallying Republicans to join him in fighting what he called “crooked Joe Biden.”
That was the message of a new TV ad from the pro-Trump “MAGA Inc.” Super PAC, which doesn’t mention any of Trump’s primary challengers. Instead, it focuses entirely on Biden and his problematic behavior regarding his son Hunter’s legal woes.
Addressing the cheering crowd, Trump said the enthusiasm for his campaign today is even higher than it was for his unlikely political-outsider race eight years ago.
“I’ve said it twice tonight, and I’ll see it again: We have never had anything like this — the spirit, the love, the passion — there’s never been anything like this,” Trump told enthusiastic supporters. “We went through 2016 and went through 2020. Most people would say they were the most passionate, but this is blowing it away.”
The polls appear to back up Trump’s claims. A New Hampshire Journal/co-efficient poll released the day before his visit found Trump with the support of 43 percent of Granite State GOP primary voters. At the same time, Florida governor Ron DeSantis and former New Jersey governor Chris Christie were tied for second with 9 percent.
More surprisingly, 62 percent of GOP primary voters said they would vote to make Trump president even if he were convicted of a felony. And 57 percent said they would vote to send Trump back to the White House even if he were “serving time in prison” on Election Day.
In his speech, Trump offered a mix of traditional politicking and Trumpian irreverence that reminded pundits why he is such a formidable campaigner.
He began with a traditional message on veterans issues, touting what he described as the successes of his administration and the failures of Biden.
“I proudly signed the VA Accountability Act, allowing us to quickly terminate any VA bureaucrat who mistreated our vets,” Trump said. “We told more than 10,000 bad, corrupt or incompetent VA workers, ‘You’re Fired.’ Out! Out!” But, he claimed, the Biden administration is bringing many of them back.
“Under the Trump administration … we hit an all-time record in VA satisfaction,” Trump added. “Under President Trump, 92 percent of America’s veterans reported satisfaction with their care.”
Trump dutifully delivered his speech packed with policy decisions, from securing the border to ending federal funding for schools promoting race-based Critical Race Theory and “transgender insanity.” In many ways, it was a speech any Republican presidential candidate could have delivered.
Trump rolled those standard Republican policies into his unique — and sometimes off-color — narrative.
“From the first day in office, I will appoint a special prosecutor to study each and every one of the many claims being brought forth by Congress concerning all of the crooked acts, including bribes from China and many other foreign countries that go into the coffers of the Biden Crime Family,” Trump said. “It is often said that Republicans don’t fight hard enough, and I agree. But they never say that about Trump. And you will see that on the first day of my presidency.”
Trump portrayed the 78 indictments across three jurisdictions (and more almost certain to follow) as “Third World” politics, an attempt by the Biden administration to cripple his candidacy.
“I won’t be able to go to Iowa today. I won’t be able to go to New Hampshire today because I’m sitting in a courtroom on bullsh*t,” Trump told the crowd. The audience responded with changes of “bullsh*t!”
But, Trump said, that strategy isn’t working. “One more indictment, and I think this election is over,” he quipped.
Several Republican operatives who don’t support Trump’s candidacy said, on background, the former president made a very effective presentation.
“He looked loose,” one said. “And he really did seem to have his 2016 mojo back.”
“This thing is over,” another operative said. “Ron DeSantis can’t compete with this.”
Others, however, said that until the debate season starts, it is simply too early to write off the possibility of a competitive primary. Trump mentioned the debate issue and whether he should risk his big lead by participating. After asking the audience what he should do (they were divided), Trump said, “It doesn’t make sense when you’re leading by so much,” but some people are telling him to do it “for the entertainment value.”
After the speech, several attendees said they were entertained.
“It’s Trump — he delivers,” said Mike Moran of Windham, N.H.
“I think he’s even stronger than in 2016 and 2020,” said Mike Fletcher, also of Windham. Fletcher agreed with Trump that his support is even more intense than in past campaigns. “And I was glad he didn’t say too much about the indictments.”
Fletcher added, “And I think the passion for Trump is growing.”
Michael Graham is the managing editor at InsideSources.com.
