The campaign season kicked off with the biggest names in the GOP wooing the party faithful at the Republican Jewish Coalition in Las Vegas over the weekend, and if there was a recurring theme in their speeches, it was 'No more Donald Trump.'
No fewer than 10 White House prospects stepped onto the stage to pitch their plans to fix the nation and their party, many of them Trump Administration appointees.
Some blamed the disappointing mid-term results on Trump.
Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie said, "We keep losing and losing and losing and the fact of the matter is the reason we're losing is because Donald Trump has put himself before everybody else."
Trump's U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley said, "We just lived through a disheartening election. It should be a wake-up call for all of us."
Trump's Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said, "Personality and celebrities aren't going to get it done. We can see that."
New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu said, "Let's stop supporting crazy unelectable candidates in our primaries and start getting behind winners."
And former Vice President Mike Pence said, "We as Republicans and our elected leaders must do more than criticize and complain."
Having announced his candidacy last week, Donald Trump's team believes the many GOP candidates could recreate the 2016 primary race, when a crowded Republican field splintered the vote and Trump became the party's presidential nominee.
The former president chose not to attend and addressed the crowd virtually, telling the crowd, "We've always known that 2022 was not the end, only the beginning of the battle to save our country."
With President Biden turning 80 over the weekend, Nikki Haley made age an issue, saying "Happy birthday, Mr. President, but it's time for a younger generation to lead across the board."
Happy 80th birthday, Mr. President—but it’s time for a younger generation to lead. #RJCinVegas pic.twitter.com/cYpA5I5cTy
— Nikki Haley (@NikkiHaley) November 20, 2022
The most popular potential rival to Trump, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, isn't likely to enter the race until next year. But in his keynote address Saturday night, he left little doubt that 2024 was on his mind.
"We've accomplished more over a four-year period than anybody thought possible. I can tell you this, we've got a lot more to do and I have only begun to fight," DeSantis said.
Donald Trump is now under the shadow of a special counsel investigation. On a brighter note, the former president found out over the weekend that Elon Musk has opened the door to allow him back on Twitter. But Trump says he's sticking to his own platform, Truth Social.
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