As the Republican Party wrestles with how to define itself in the post-Trump era,聽 Brown College Republicans finds itself in the same boat.聽
With the defeat of former President Donald Trump in the 2020 election, the political right is being forced to choose a path forward 鈥斅爓hether to distance the party from Trumpism, or to retain the former president鈥檚 vision. Last weekend at the Conservative Political Action Conference, revealed his lasting influence on the party. Trump stated at the conference that his political activity is .鈥� Still, on Trumpism.聽
Brown College Republicans President Jessica McDonald 鈥�21 said that the club is currently 鈥渟eeing the exact same debate鈥� as the GOP nationally.聽
鈥淲e have some strong Trump supporters who are full-out Trump 鈥� they鈥檙e ready for 2024, super energized by his CPAC speech,鈥� McDonald said. Other members are hoping 鈥渢o distance themselves鈥� from Trump, looking for a 鈥渕ore moderate 鈥� toned-down version鈥� of the former president.
Some Republicans have turned away from Trump in the wake of the Jan. 6 Capitol riots, as have some members of College Republicans, McDonald added.聽
Following the insurrection, support for Trump among club members waned. But much of the disillusionment with the former president was fleeting, and he regained some members鈥� support following the Senate鈥檚 acquittal of him in his second impeachment trial.聽
鈥淓veryone was pretty quick to condemn the violence, obviously,鈥� McDonald said. But 鈥渁fter the (impeachment trial), people just saw it as sort of another attack on Trump and another failed impeachment.鈥�
McDonald, along with College Republicans Vice President Christian Diaz de Leon 鈥�21 and member Jack Wolfsohn 鈥�23, said that many in the club have expressed support for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for a presidential run in 2024.聽
DeSantis, Wolfsohn said, 鈥渋s a smart politician and has much of the same appeal as Trump, but is more eloquent and understands the issues better.鈥�
Trump won of the first CPAC 2024 presidential straw poll. DeSantis won 43 percent of the second poll that did not include Trump.
鈥淭he Trump movement is here to stay within the Republican club, but they might rebrand it and refocus it on someone like DeSantis, who I think embodies a lot of Trump鈥檚 spirit with a 鈥� more favorable personality,鈥� Diaz de Leon said.聽
Diaz de Leon was also co-president of Students for Trump at Brown, a club which he described as 鈥渃urrently inactive.鈥� He said he believes the group鈥檚 leadership is 鈥渇ine with disbanding the club,鈥� especially considering they will have graduated by the next presidential cycle.聽
鈥淯nless Trump decides to run for a 鈥� (congressional) seat in Florida in 2022, I'm not really sure how much we can do with the club,鈥� he said.聽
Diaz de Leon added that he believes Trump 鈥渟till has the popularity in the party to win the (2024 Republican) nomination.鈥�
鈥淚f Trump wants to run, he鈥檚 going to win the primaries for sure,鈥� Diaz de Leon said. 鈥淓ven his political opponents (have agreed). (Sen.) in the past couple of weeks. (Senate Minority Leader) Mitch McConnell, who went against Trump during the whole impeachment process said that if Trump was the nominee, .鈥�
Both Diaz de Leon and McDonald also cited Trump鈥檚 age as a potential deterring factor for Republican voters in 2024. By the next election, Trump will be 78 鈥� the same age as current President Biden.
College Republicans are ultimately split on Trumpism and the future of the GOP, according to McDonald, who says the division reflects the ideological diversity of the club鈥檚 membership.
鈥淭he Republican Party is a big tent,鈥� Wolfsohn said, 鈥渁nd the Brown College Republicans reflect that.鈥�
ADVERTISEMENT
