GOP's hope of taking out Trump requires trampling on DeSantis first: conservative

According to conservative columnist Jennifer Rubin, if the Republican Party harbors any hope of winning the Oval Office in 2024, it will require getting rid of both Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and drafting a lawmaker who can reach independents.

In her column for the Washington Post, Rubin made the case that DeSantis -- who appears to be trying to out-Trump Trump -- is fast becoming damaged goods and the GOP would be wise to look at Governors Brian Kemp of Georgia and Glenn Youngkin of Virginia for a reset before it is too late.

Writing that her hopes for DeSantis crashed and burned because he "turned out to be an inept, unlikable and mockable candidate devoid of basic interpersonal skills," the columnist said it is time to look elsewhere and that the slate of possible nominees trailing the Florida governor in the polls doesn't appear to be up to the task so far.

"If Republicans were betting on him [DeSantis] (or on special counsel Jack Smith) to rid them of Trump — an unfit, unhinged candidate who could well drag the entire party under in 2024 — they should come up with a Plan B," she wrote before adding, "The only real chance for the party to move beyond Trump might be two Republican governors not in the race yet: Georgia’s Brian Kemp and Virginia’s Glenn Youngkin."

Stating that their target audience is GOP primary voters, she added that they first need to dispose of DeSantis.

"Given how poorly DeSantis is faring and the lack of a single credible alternative, Kemp and Youngkin lose nothing by waiting for DeSantis and others to burn out. By the fall, there could well be a 'draft' movement urging one or the other to rescue the party from disaster," she suggested before adding, "If they want to keep their options open, the two governors would do well to pile onto the anti-DeSantis scrum, helping to accelerate his political demise."

Rubin added, "There might be no solution to the GOP’s self-inflicted Trump problem. Perhaps elected officials, donors and country-club Republicans prefer a thrashing at the polls in 2024 rather than a fight with the MAGA base. But if they decide to save their party and spare the country from another Trump nomination, they should send up a distress signal later this year. Kemp or Youngkin might just answer it."

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