DAILY CALLER: DAVID BOSSIE: The Primary Is Over

Now that the Iowa Caucus is behind us and the primary process moves on to New Hampshire next week, it’s time for a reality check about where things stand. I’m a proud Trump supporter, and from where I stand it’s become blatantly obvious that this primary campaign is over and hasn’t been covered accurately by the mainstream media from day one.

Former President Trump won Iowa by a jaw-dropping 30 points despite the fact he was up against well-funded opponents who had the GOP establishment and evangelical leaders in the state working against him. In the end, none of it mattered — not one iota. Iowa voters proved that the Donald Trump-led Make America Great Again movement remains deep in the hearts of the people, and that’s a lock that can’t be picked by deep pocketed donors or high profile endorsements.

Since the Republican primary campaign for president first began about a year ago, the biased anti-Trump media has been working overtime trying to concoct any narrative it can think of to make the race competitive, but has come up totally empty. Currently, dishonest media elites are putting all their money on liberal Republicans and unaffiliated voters in New Hampshire to buoy former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley’s one state papier-mache campaign, but it’s not going to change destiny. It’s time for the never Trump crowd to come to grips with the fact that there’s going to be a rematch in 2024 because conservative Republican primary voters want it — and want it with an unmatched loyalty and intensity that should concern everyone on the left — including President Joe Biden.

There have been many competitive Republican primary contests in recent years but 2024 isn’t going to be one of them. There was 1980, when Ronald Reagan beat George H.W. Bush; 1988, when Bush defeated Bob Dole; 2000, when George W. Bush defeated John McCain; 2008 when McCain defeated Mitt Romney; 2012 when Romney beat Rick Santorum; and even 2016 when Donald Trump, the ultimate political outsider, shocked the world and defeated everybody. Even the casual observer can see that 2024 has nothing in common with any of those races. Those elections were extraordinarily close by comparison and there was legitimate uncertainty about who would ultimately come out on top. There is no such uncertainty this time around and everyone knows it.

Even if the liberal media claims Ambassador Haley had a decent showing in the Granite State due to support from unaffiliated voters, it’s not going to change any conservative voter’s mind in the other 48 states who have yet to vote where she’s losing badly. In public poll after public poll in state after state, Trump is ahead by margins similar to the numbers he just put on the board in Iowa. In Wisconsin, Trump is up 54 percent to 16 percent; in Pennsylvania, Trump is leading 61 – 14; in California, the former president leads 66 – 11; in Nevada, Trump is winning 73 – 8; in North Carolina, 66 – 12; in Michigan, 63 -13; and in Florida, the margin is 60 – 19 with Trump ahead.

And the kicker here is clearly South Carolina, a state where Nikki Haley was governor for six years. In the Palmetto State, Trump is beating Haley 54 percent to 25 percent. So, just to put a fine point on it, former Governor Haley is only getting the support of a quarter of the voters who know her best and that speaks volumes. It’s worth noting that Haley’s own Lt. Governor Henry McMaster — the current governor of South Carolina — is all in for the former president. Get the picture yet? These are the facts of what’s happening on the ground nationally; the mainstream media ought to stop omitting the full story.

What also sets Trump apart from the field of presidential candidates regardless of party affiliation is the incredible relationship he’s forged with his supporters and would-be supporters over the years. Trump the blue collar billionaire is a special, once in a generation talent who isn’t a politician but rather the leader of a political movement. He brings the combination of his mega-success in business along with a unique ability to connect with workers on job sites who do the hard work of building America. There’s simply no one else running who can do this and that’s one of the reasons Trump is on top. Furthermore, polls suggest former President Trump is winning over blue collar voters from many demographic groups who have reliably voted for Democrats since the time of FDR. Just like 2016, Trump the change agent may be causing a realignment in our politics right before our eyes.

The bottom line is that Donald Trump is going to be the Republican nominee for president in 2024 because the vast majority of GOP voters believe Trump’s successful record in office provides a stark contrast up against Biden’s long list of failures. Trump created a vibrant economy, Biden created the malaise we’re all struggling with now. Under Trump, gas prices were low and the cost of living was held in check; Biden got into office and created an inflation crisis that made everything more expensive. Trump campaigned on the dangers of open borders and took decisive action; Biden opened the floodgates and unleashed a catastrophe that Americans will be dealing with for decades. Trump practiced peace through strength and America was respected; Biden exudes weakness and now there is war in Ukraine, war in the Middle East, and China pushes us around for sport.

This is a winning message and Trump is poised to ride it all the way back to the White House. The general election is upon us and this rematch will be unlike anything we’ve ever seen.

David N. Bossie is president of Citizens United, and he served as deputy campaign manager for Donald J. Trump for President in 2016. @David_Bossie @Citizens_United