# GOP 2020 primary challenger(s) to Trump **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [February 15, 2019, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-2020-primary-challenger-s-to-trump/829597 "2019-02-15T15:59:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2019, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-2020-primary-challenger-s-to-trump/829597/41 "2019-08-25T22:50:12Z")
I didn’t know anything about this guy. Interesting! ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2019, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-2020-primary-challenger-s-to-trump/829597/42 "2019-08-25T22:58:50Z")
I may actually register temporarily as a Republican so I can cross over and vote for Walsh in the primary. I can’t think of anything that will help Dems more than making Trump have to spend money in states to defend his primary nomination ahead of the general election. And yes, let’s please help Joe Walsh run as an independent in the general. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2019, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-2020-primary-challenger-s-to-trump/829597/43 "2019-08-25T23:22:16Z")
Trump is too crazy and hateful for _Joe Walsh_? ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2019, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-2020-primary-challenger-s-to-trump/829597/44 "2019-08-25T23:41:54Z")
From Walsh’s Twitter feed: > [@](#): > > [Why](https://twitter.com/WalshFreedom/status/1165741795906641920) did I decide to primary @realDonaldTrump ? Because he welcomed & encouraged Russian interference in 2016, he lied & ordered others to lie, and he obstructed the investigation into Russian interference. > > Trump should be impeached. > [@](#): > > [It’s time](https://twitter.com/WalshFreedom/status/1165680234655551489) we all say publicly what we feel privately: We have an unfit conman in the White House. We can’t take four more years of Donald Trump. No way. > [@](#): > > “I’m running because he’s unfit; somebody needs to step up and there needs to be an alternative,” [Walsh said](https://twitter.com/FlanaganNJTV/status/1165639869273661440). “The country is sick of this guy’s tantrum – he’s a child.” Sounds like he’s saying what Dems should be saying, but are by and large too chickenshit to say. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2019, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-2020-primary-challenger-s-to-trump/829597/45 "2019-08-26T00:11:14Z")
That’s not remotely fair. Democrats, including Pelosi and all the presidential candidates, say the same thing. Why are some people so invested in falsely painting Democrats as craven cowards? ---
**Author:** ![Toxgoddess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Toxgoddess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toxgoddess)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2019, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-2020-primary-challenger-s-to-trump/829597/46 "2019-08-26T00:14:32Z")
He also said this:[https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-walsh/joe-walsh-becomes-second-republican-to-challenge-trump-for-white-house-idUSKCN1VF0IM](https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-walsh/joe-walsh-becomes-second-republican-to-challenge-trump-for-white-house-idUSKCN1VF0IM) "There were plenty of times I went beyond the policy and the idea differences, and I got personal and I got hateful,” Walsh said. “I said some ugly things about President Obama that I regret. And, and it’s difficult, but I think that helped create Trump, and I feel responsible for that.” I have to say, I admire his willingness to come out and admit this. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2019, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-2020-primary-challenger-s-to-trump/829597/47 "2019-08-26T00:29:17Z")
Impressive! Following up on my earlier defense of Democrats, here are some of those allegedly “chickenshit” Dems: > **[Nancy Pelosi: Trump 'Unfit' but Not Worth Impeaching](https://www.newsweek.com/nancy-pelosi-donald-trump-unfit-intellectually-ethically-not-worth-impeaching-1359203)** > > "Impeachment is so divisive to the country," Pelosi said, adding of Trump, "and he's just not worth it." > [@](#): > > “I mean, ethically unfit. Intellectually unfit. Curiosity-wise unfit,” Pelosi said. “No, I don’t think he’s fit to be president of the United States.” [https://www.politico.com/story/2019/07/11/biden-trump-foreign-policy-address-1405878](https://www.politico.com/story/2019/07/11/biden-trump-foreign-policy-address-1405878) > [@](#): > > “Make no mistake about it: the world sees Trump for what he is: insincere, ill informed and impulsive — and sometimes corrupt,” Biden said during his roughly 40-minute speech. “Dangerously incompetent and incapable, in my view, of world leadership.” [https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/04/politics/beto-orourke-trump-white-nationalist-cnntv/index.html](https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/04/politics/beto-orourke-trump-white-nationalist-cnntv/index.html) > [@](#): > > O’Rourke argued that it would take “all of us – Republicans, Democrats, independents alike – rising up, standing up to be counted against what this President is doing, against this white nationalist racism, against this violence and getting this country back.” > He called for a shared “responsibility to call that out, to make sure that the American people understand what is being done in their name by the person who holds the highest position of public trust in this land.” > “(Trump) does not even pretend to respect our differences or to understand that we are all created equal,” O’Rourke told Tapper. “He is saying that some people are inherently defective or dangerous.” > **[Schumer: Trump’s Russia comments ‘disgraceful, shocking’ - Washington Examiner](https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/2606054/schumer-trumps-russia-comments-disgraceful-shocking/)** > > President Trump believes "winning an election is more important than the integrity of an election,” Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said in a floor speech Thursday denouncing Trump’s now-viral ABC News interview about accepting Russian... > [@](#): > > President Trump believes "winning an election is more important than the integrity of an election,” Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said in a floor speech Thursday denouncing Trump’s now-viral ABC News interview about accepting Russian opposition research. > > “The president’s comments are undemocratic, un-American, disgraceful,” Schumer said. > “The president’s idea that winning the election is everything and the integrity of the election is nothing, is one small step away from dictators and autocrats who manipulate the results of an election because they care more about staying in power than than care about Democratic principles. Donald Trump seems to fall into that category.” ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2019, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-2020-primary-challenger-s-to-trump/829597/48 "2019-08-26T00:38:22Z")
The difference is, Walsh is doing what he can. He’s backing up his words by running against Trump. Pelosi’s actually accused Trump of violating the Constitution, but she’s not doing a damned thing about it. So her words are vacuous, and everybody knows it. ---
**Author:** ![jaycat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat/32/3015_2.png) [@jaycat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jaycat)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2019, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-2020-primary-challenger-s-to-trump/829597/49 "2019-08-26T00:57:17Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > . . . Why are some people so invested in falsely painting Democrats as craven cowards? Oh gosh, where to start? Dukakis’ failure to respond to the Willie Horton ads and the “what if your wife were raped?” jabs? Kerry’s failure to fight back against the Swift Boat accusations? Hillary’s “when they go low, we go high” crap? The promises in 2000 to work for overhauling the Electoral College? etc. etc… ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2019, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-2020-primary-challenger-s-to-trump/829597/50 "2019-08-26T00:58:08Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > The difference is, Walsh is doing what he can. He’s backing up his words by running against Trump. Pelosi’s actually accused Trump of violating the Constitution, but she’s not doing a damned thing about it. So her words are vacuous, and everybody knows it. What do you want her to do? Push an Impeachment motion through the House so it can run into a brick wall of Republican opposition in the Senate? Isn’t that exactly the same thing the Republicans tried with Bill Clinton in 1998-99? The difference is, Bill Clinton wasn’t running for re-election in 2000, so the nation didn’t have to watch him run around the country, campaign rally after campaign rally, screaming, “They tried to impeach me, and they couldn’t! It’s all political! I’m the victim! Vote for me!” So, **RTFirefly** , you’re Nancy Pelosi. You can’t impeach Trump all by yourself, and you can’t have a sitting President arrested. What do YOU do? ---
**Author:** ![Kimera757](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kimera757/32/3765_2.png) [@Kimera757](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimera757)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2019, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-2020-primary-challenger-s-to-trump/829597/51 "2019-08-26T01:07:08Z")
I hope only one Republican runs against Trump. I don’t want the Republican anti-Trump vote to split. But Trump is lucky. He’ll treat this like a speed bump. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2019, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-2020-primary-challenger-s-to-trump/829597/52 "2019-08-26T01:36:12Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > The difference is, Walsh is doing what he can. He’s backing up his words by running against Trump. Pelosi’s actually accused Trump of violating the Constitution, but she’s not doing a damned thing about it. So her words are vacuous, and everybody knows it. That is just as false as your earlier point. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2019, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-2020-primary-challenger-s-to-trump/829597/53 "2019-08-26T02:19:17Z")
It’s also goalpost moving: > [@RTFirefly](#): > > Sounds like he’s saying what Dems should be saying, but are by and large too chickenshit to say. “Saying”, “saying”, “say”. But now it’s not about their words at all? :dubious: ETA: I wonder if the GOP will even allow primaries this cycle. ---
**Author:** ![Boycott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boycott/32/6741_2.png) [@Boycott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boycott)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2019, 10:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-2020-primary-challenger-s-to-trump/829597/54 "2019-08-26T10:10:33Z")
I think the only good this brings is it forces the Trump campaign to pay attention to their own side of the fence rather than having a free hand at attacking the democrats. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2019, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-2020-primary-challenger-s-to-trump/829597/55 "2019-08-26T12:56:03Z")
Having lived all of my life in the Chicago area I am fully aware of what an idiot Walsh is. However, if a Republican wants to call out Trump for being a child, and unhinged I’ll certainly welcome that. Neither of them, however, is fit to hold the office. But let the mud slinging begin! ---
**Author:** ![LoneRhino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lonerhino/32/1311_2.png) [@LoneRhino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LoneRhino)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2019, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-2020-primary-challenger-s-to-trump/829597/56 "2019-08-26T12:58:36Z")
If Walsh uses Funk #49 as his campaign song, he’s got my vote. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2019, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-2020-primary-challenger-s-to-trump/829597/57 "2019-08-26T13:03:56Z")
I’d bet that the real Joe wouldn’t have it! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2019, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-2020-primary-challenger-s-to-trump/829597/58 "2019-08-28T03:59:39Z")
FWIW, [PBS Newshour i-view](https://www.pbs.org/video/joe-walsh-on-immigration-policy-climate-change-and-trump-1566947492/) couple hours ago. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2019, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-2020-primary-challenger-s-to-trump/829597/59 "2019-08-28T04:32:57Z")
Some other Dem presidential candidates who’ve blasted Trump in no uncertain terms: > **['A bulls--- soup of ineffective words': Cory Booker blasts Trump's remarks on...](https://www.businessinsider.com/cory-booker-blasts-trumps-mass-shootings-remarks-el-paso-dayton-2019-8)** > > Sen. Cory Booker tore into President Donald Trump's remarks, criticizing his lack of a specific plan to address gun violence after two mass shootings. > **[Elizabeth Warren Slams 'Racist' Trump After Attack on Elijah Cummings](https://www.newsweek.com/elizabeth-warren-racist-donald-trump-attack-elijah-cummings-1451458)** > > Warren referred to Cummings as one of her "dearest friends," saying he "is a good man through and through, and he fights for what is just in this country." > **[Buttigieg slams Trump on Fox News, likens his tweets to ‘grotesque things'](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/may/20/pete-buttigieg-trump-fox-news-town-hall)** > > Trump criticized Fox News for ‘wasting airtime’ on Buttigieg, saying Fox is ‘moving more and more to the losing side’ ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2019, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-2020-primary-challenger-s-to-trump/829597/60 "2019-09-06T16:01:14Z")
Trump will certainly have an easier time of it if he can convince states to cancel their primaries. Joe Walsh (not the cool one) is not in favor: “Trump and his allies and the Republican National Committee are doing whatever they can do to eliminate primaries in certain states and make it very difficult for primary challengers to get on the ballot in a number of states,” said former Rep. Joe Walsh (R-Ill.), who recently launched his primary campaign against the president. “It’s wrong, the RNC should be ashamed of itself, and I think it does show that Trump is afraid of a serious primary challenge because he knows his support is very soft.” “Primary elections are important, competition within parties is good, and we intend to be on the ballot in every single state no matter what the RNC and Trump allies try to do,” Walsh added. “We also intend to loudly call out this undemocratic bull on a regular basis.” > **[Republicans to scrap primaries and caucuses as Trump challengers cry foul](https://www.politico.com/story/2019/09/06/republicans-cancel-primaries-trump-challengers-1483126)** > > The moves, which critics called undemocratic, are the latest illustration of the president's total takeover of the GOP apparatus. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-2020-primary-challenger-s-to-trump/829597.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-2020-primary-challenger-s-to-trump/829597.md?page=4)