Donald Trump is a lame duck. After the 2028 election, he will be constitutionally barred from being president. I think? Of course, he will work to exert maximum influence over the identity of the next Republican nominee—and, perhaps, his successor in the White House. The question is: Who will that be? Unlike the Democratic field, which I expect to be huge, I foresee a relatively small group of viable Republican candidates. Why? Because I don’t think many GOP politicians want to piss off Trump and his base by running against the chosen one. Is that be Trump’s political heir, J.D. Vance? Could there be a literal heir in the mix? Think Donald Trump Jr., who is going to run for something in the near future. (I don’t know if it’s president, but how can you rule it out?) Or maybe an heir to Trump’s prowess as a businessman. I don’t have a specific name—although Jamie Dimon probably fits the bill best—but I would not be surprised to see a corporate titan decide he needs to be president to put things right. Click through for the full list of candidates on my radar, and their current standings.
Want more ball and strike calling—no matter what uniform the batter at the plate is wearing? Check out Chris Cillizza’s Substack and YouTube channel.
