Republican lawmakers see a clear path back into Donald Trump’s Republican Party for one of his former primary foes — but perhaps excommunication for his lone remaining challenger.
Some Republican members said it was a wise move by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to end his presidential bid after finishing second to Trump in the Iowa caucuses. His exit and immediate endorsement of the former president means a return to big-time GOP politics — and even, eventually, Trump’s orbit was possible, lawmakers said.
But the Republican lawmakers predicted a much different future for former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, Trump’s former United Nations ambassador and only primary foe still standing. She has chosen to continue her primary campaign, pivoting to a message critical of Trump’s age and mental status — and that she alone could take down President Joe Biden in November.
