its gonna be a fuckin mess imo. my guess is that Trump is gonna play kingmaker, whoever gets Trump's blessing will win (maybe Trump will pick himself, who knows how he'll feel in a couple years)

  • axont [she/her, comrade/them]
    ·
    4 years ago

    I'm highly skeptical that some Trump-like figure will emerge, because that's not a thing. There aren't any analogues like him. He's been a public figure in the American consciousness since the 70s, his name has been culturally associated with wealth, he's been involved in media squabbles forever, and he had already been setting himself up for the presidency since at least the 90s. There's not going to be anyone else like him and aping him won't work since it'll just seem sad and flat.

    I also can't see Trump involving himself further with the GOP. He doesn't give a shit about their structured ideological project beyond what sort of attention it brings to himself. The Republicans are disciplined right now, biting their tongues and biding their time, but they don't need to sing his praises for votes once he's out of office. Republican votes are held hostage anyway. Trump's going to set up a media outlet, 100%. Republicans will act as if he never existed 6 months from now, the Republican base will probably get bored and also move onto someone else by then, unless they really drink whatever fever dream conspiracy bullshit Trump's TV channel spews out.

    Also, like 1/3 of Americans will be fully Qanon brained by 2024, so who knows what that'll do to the primaries.