DC insider hints at surprising 'underdog' choice to replace Trump after GOP senator doubts he'll run again

In his new book, "In Trump's Shadow: The Battle for 2024 and the Future of the GOP," Washington D.C. journalist David Drucker takes a hard look at where the Republican Party is going and suggests who might be the contenders -- and who are the pretenders -- to replace Donald Trump as the GOP standard-bearer should he not run in 2024.

In Daniel Gullotta's review of the book for the conservative Bulwark, he notes remarks made by Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) in an interview with Axios where he expressed skepticism over Trump running and whether he should run, saying, "I don't know that. President Trump is the first president, in the Republican side at least, to lose the House, the Senate, and the presidency in four years. Elections are about winning," and that Drucker agrees.

With that in mind, Gullotta notes that Drucker dismisses the fledgling campaigns of some high profile Republicans and made a pick that may surprise many with an insider's view of why it is possible.

According to Gullotta, Drucker explains, "... some of the would-be GOP nominees have been planning a run for the Oval Office since the moment Trump brought them into his inner circle; others have been calculating their odds ever since it looked like the 45th president's re-election bid was plummeting."

When it comes to those who may not make the cut, Gullotta writes, "Drucker can't possibly cover all conceivable presidential possibilities and paths the Republican party might take, right at the outset he dispatches with the candidates whom he thinks don't have a serious shot or are unlikely to even try, or about whom it is simply too early to make an educated estimation: Josh Hawley, Ron DeSantis, Kristi Noem, Liz Cheney, and others."

On the other hand, Drucker sees others have a better than average chance of moving to the top.

"Drucker focuses on a group of Republicans he knows have already begun to make plans for 2024 or are actively exploring the possibility of running for president, and who seem to him to have a chance—namely, Tom Cotton, Ted Cruz, Nikki Haley, Mike Pence, Mike Pompeo, Marco Rubio, and Donald J. Trump," The Bulwark columnist wrote before getting to who Drucker sees as the likely choice.

"Somewhat surprisingly, in Drucker's estimation Mike Pence is the most underrated of Trump's many possible heirs; Drucker highlights the former vice president's underappreciated Machiavellianism and his role in filling in the gap of Trump's agenda with his own messaging and issues," Gullotta writes befopre adding that "Trump looms large" over whoever makes a serious run -- and could interfere with GOP efforts to reclaim the White House.

You can read more here.