There are just shy of 100 days until the Iowa Republican caucus on January 15, 2024, followed a few weeks later on February 6 by the Republican New Hampshire primary. These are the only political thresholds that could defeat, or even disrupt, Donald Trump’s sweep to the Republican nomination — and from there just a few stumbles by Joe Biden to the presidency.
Yes, the Republicans have fielded hapless wannabe types, personal brand promoters rather than serious candidates. And counting on Florida governor Ron DeSantis to make it a competitive race was something of a Murdoch-media fantasy, the man way too far out on the no-charisma spectrum. But it just may be that conventional politics, that process of least worst choice, of organisational boots on the ground, and of money in the bank, simply has no chance against the Donald Trump show.
