Are Republicans making the same mistakes they did in 2016 in trying to stop Trump?

[Tekken_Guy]

Are Republicans repeating their 2016 mistakes trying to stop Trump?

[Skill and Chance]

Possibly, but it could be more structural.  I think the main economic worry gradually shifting from inflation to jobs is inherent helpful to Trump compared to Generic R.

[Vosem]

Yes, but perhaps more significantly so are Democrats.

[Tekken_Guy]

Possibly, but it could be more structural.  I think the main economic worry gradually shifting from inflation to jobs is inherent helpful to Trump compared to Generic R.

Why was inflation seen as a bad issue for Trump?

[Darthpi – Anti-Florida Activist]

The Republicans who still do oppose Trump are making many of the same mistakes, but it's also very much missing a more important point to focus on that. The big issue is that the institutional Republican party very much is behind Trump for his 2024 campaign, whereas in 2016 he was basically all on his own. Because of that institutional support for Trump, the anti-Trump opposition would have a difficult time beating Trump this time even if they were going about things in a different and more effective way.

[Shaula🏳️‍⚧️]

Yes, but perhaps more significantly so are Democrats.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

Lol Indictment help Trump in primary but doesn't help in GE due to J6

[Landslide Lyndon]

Yes, but perhaps more significantly so are Democrats.

I'm getting tired of this bothsiderism BS. Trump is going to be the Republican nominee and Democrats can't do anything about this. Man up and accept your responsibility. It's not the Democrats fault that your voters are so entranced by a carnival barker and accused felon.   

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

Blue avatars think blue states don't remember J6 we do that's why Rs are losing to Biden, Trump is the one whom lead the Proud Boys not DeSantis

[oldtimer]

Are Republicans repeating their 2016 mistakes trying to stop Trump?

No, they are making new mistakes while they repeat some of their 2016 ones.


2016 mistakes they repeat today:

1. Think Trump is not popular with republican voters.
Reality, he is just like the average republican voter in all terms, except income.

2. Push non-charismatic people who voters don't really like.
Nikki Haley = Marco Rubio

3. Push policies that people don't really like.
Federal Abortion Ban = Paul Ryan's agenda.

4. Hope Democrats can stop Trump.


New mistakes:

1. Torch the fortunes of a popular governor from a big state to try and stop him.

2. Sabotage their own Congressional Campaigns so Trump can't claim wins.

[LabourJersey]

Yes, but perhaps more significantly so are Democrats.

Care to elaborate on this? Beyond underestimating Trump (which is a fair concern that he is being underestimated) what are the Dems repeating?

[°Leprechaun]

Winner take all primaries could make it impossible to beat Trump.

[LostInOhio]

Yes, but perhaps more significantly so are Democrats.

Care to elaborate on this? Beyond underestimating Trump (which is a fair concern that he is being underestimated) what are the Dems repeating?

In my opinion the biggest mistake is that they don’t seem to understand that any press coverage is good for him, no matter how bad. They cannot stop talking about him and thus are to blame for his continued sway over a broad swath of the electorate. If they had simply ignored him after Biden’s inauguration he’d be irrelevant by now.

[RussFeingoldWasRobbed]

Are Republicans repeating their 2016 mistakes trying to stop Trump?

No, they are making new mistakes while they repeat some of their 2016 ones.


2016 mistakes they repeat today:

1. Think Trump is not popular with republican voters.
Reality, he is just like the average republican voter in all terms, except income.

2. Push non-charismatic people who voters don't really like.
Nikki Haley = Marco Rubio

3. Push policies that people don't really like.
Federal Abortion Ban = Paul Ryan's agenda.

4. Hope Democrats can stop Trump.


New mistakes:

1. Torch the fortunes of a popular governor from a big state to try and stop him.

2. Sabotage their own Congressional Campaigns so Trump can't claim wins.

1/2. This is 2022, not 2016. Trump lost re election and several of his candidates lost in 2022. He is much easier to paint as unelectable now because you have results to point to. Haley doesn't even have to attack his character, she can just say she would have a better chance of winning. And she literally worked for Trump, so I think most Trump supporters would be fine with her.
3. Trump literally nominated 3 justices who all voted to overturn Roe. If republicans think Trump will be immune from the post-dobbs fallout, they will be extremely disappointed come election day.

[Sir Mohamed]

Tbh, I'm not sure Trump would have lost in 2016 if other candidates dropped out sooner. Seems to be a myth to me. There's no real evidence a Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio or John Kasich would have gotten close 90% of the support from the others instead of Trump.

This time around, there seems much less effort to stop Trump anyway. He effectively "cleaned house", ergo the party is dominated by his forces while the traditional "GOP donor class", represented by people like McConnell or Romney, have practically no influence. Much less do neocons have.

[The Mikado]

There's no mistake. Trump's legitimately the candidate of over half of the party. There's no coordination effort in the world that could stop that, only damaging his actual favorability within the GOP.

If everyone else got out and it was Trump vs DeSantis one on one, like half of the supporters of the "other" candidates would go to Trump anyway and he'd just win 65-35. There's no reason to think they'd all flock to DeSantis.

[LabourJersey]

Yes, but perhaps more significantly so are Democrats.

Care to elaborate on this? Beyond underestimating Trump (which is a fair concern that he is being underestimated) what are the Dems repeating?

In my opinion the biggest mistake is that they don’t seem to understand that any press coverage is good for him, no matter how bad. They cannot stop talking about him and thus are to blame for his continued sway over a broad swath of the electorate. If they had simply ignored him after Biden’s inauguration he’d be irrelevant by now.

I see. I understand your point, though I think the problem with that is the costs of not pointing out things like the insurrection, his financial crimes, etc.

I can see a case about the cost of ignoring these is less than the cost of covering him intensely. I don't buy it for now, though.