One of the problems in belonging to a cult is that – by definition – there is only one leader at a time. Cults are not a democratic or shared endeavor. So if one mixes politics with a cult? Now one has a problem. One ends up with things like McConnell practically crying in telling senators to vote “No” on an investigation in which they got every one of their demands. You have to put up with Marjorie Taylor-Greene and Matt Gaetz. And you damn well better not come up with an original idea that you cannot say “Trump thought of it first.”

This problem is especially exacerbated when it comes to a desire to run for president, should “the one” find himself unable, unwilling, fearful, whatever the reason. The person wanting to run would have to raise money in a hurry because he isn’t getting any Trump money and every candidate will at least have to kiss the ring of the guy that lost last time. A bad recipe.

Now we have a report on the situation from New York magazine’s Ben Jacobs:

[T]here’s something unusual about the invisible primary this time: the lurking presence of Trump. Potential candidates have to navigate not just the potential for him to run again for the Republican nomination in 2024, but the risk of doing anything to raise the ire of the South Florida retiree.

No sh*t?

In conversations with over a dozen Republican activists and operatives, both in early states and nationally, everyone thought that there was a chance that the former president could run again and everyone had their own odds.

Some thought it was unlikely, some thought it was likely, but the one thing everyone agreed upon is that Trump’s final decision was impossible to predict and to plan for. One Republican close to a potential 2024 candidate compared it to ‘being hit by a meteor. There’s nothing you can do to control that.

We have far more control regarding being hit by a meteor than predicting what Trump may or may not do. We simply welcome MAGA-Republicans to the party because many of us have felt this way for years, having no idea what he might do, how, or why, and being able to do fck all about it.

By the way, here’s the list from Republican operatives, people that have shown interest, but would prefer to not wake up with a horse’s head in their bed:

Tom Cotton, Nikki Haley, Kristi Noem, Mike Pence, Mike Pompeo, Rick Scott, Tim Scott, Ted Cruz, Matt Gaetz, Jim Jordan, Marco Rubio, and Marjorie Taylor Greene — with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis currently at the top of the heap. With a re-election bid coming up in the perpetually purple state of Florida and the ever-watchful eye of Trump upon him, DeSantis has made clear that he is not traveling to early states in the foreseeable future.”

We genuinely hope that Trump doesn’t run because watching that list of fools battle it out would be very entertaining. DeSantis is a problem, but do not take your eyes off Tom Cotton. Cotton is every bit as cruel as Trump and DeSantis put together and 100 times more capable.

They should go talk to Mitch McConnell, he’d be the one that can most relate.

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