There is no cake for everyone at the White House Republican nomination banquet. The host, Donald Trump, has already served half of it and is ready to devour it; the other half is contested by four guests: Rom DeSantis, Nikki Haley, Vivek Ramaswamy and Asa Hutchinson. Chris Christie called Wednesday afternoon to say he wasn't coming. Ramaswamy and Hutchinson eat at the children's table. DeSantis and Haley, the only punctual ones, threw their plates over their heads before dinner. Trump, master and lord of the mansion, seems to be eating separately.
After four primary debates between the alternative candidates to the former president, yesterday evening came the first face-to-face between the only two with options – albeit slim – of dethroning him. In a debate hosted by CNN, DeSantis and Haley had their last chance to shine before the Iowa caucuses, which will kick off the primary cycle next Monday. The appointment experienced, once again, the absence of Trump, who counterprogrammed with a town hall (live meeting) on Fox News, where he answered the docile questions of the public.
"Trump is running to fix his problems, Haley is running for those of his donors and I'm running for yours, your family's and to turn this country around," said the governor of Florida, DeSantis, in the speech that opened the debate And he launched himself into the war against his contender, who he counterattacked by announcing the launch of a website, DeSantisLies, in which he compiles his "lies".
"He's worried about my donors because they abandoned him when they saw that his campaign was collapsing," answered Haley, who was the US ambassador to the UN during the Trump administration. Launched in the polls, but still fifty points behind the former president, she presented herself as an alternative to the "chaos" and bearer of the "generational change" of the Republican Party.
The two hours of debate turned into an incessant exchange of attacks, all described as "lies" by the person affected. DeSantis accused Haley of having a loose speech against immigration and vowed that if he is president, "we will build the wall and make Mexico pay for it." She said that during her time as governor she "sold South Carolina to China" to allow their companies to enter. And he assured that Haley "cares more about Ukraine than about our southern border".
The debate was preceded by the early withdrawal due to lack of support of the former governor of New Jersey, Chris Christie, the only candidate openly opposed to Trumpist postulates. His fall is representative of the critical situation of the traditional sectors of the party.
Haley, who is a bit more moderate than DeSantis, is expected to benefit from Christie's withdrawal, especially in New Hampshire, the next primary state (January 23) and one of the few where Trump does not exceed 50% of the intent to vote.
DeSantis missed his big chance last night to distance himself from Trump, perhaps his last, after a year that began as his undisputed alternative and ended in third place in the polls, losing the support of 'important donors and the media moment.
Following his strategy, Trump was again absent from the debate and counter-scheduled it. His town hall on Fox News was kinder. Asked about the US staying in NATO, he said it "depends on whether we are treated properly" as member countries "took advantage of our trade and military protection". Shortly before leaving the set, he left one last announcement: "I know who will be my vice president, but I can't tell you."
In the US capital, it is said that the chosen one could be Haley, who was already part of his cabinet in 2017. But first he will have to defeat her at the polls. If the former ambassador finishes second in Iowa and wins New Hampshire, an early retirement for DeSantis can be predicted. Then the Nevada caucuses will arrive, where Trump's victory is celebrated, and his litmus test will be in South Carolina, the state of which he was governor. If he loses this battle, before the key date of Super Tuesday (March 5), it will clear the way for Trump, who will eat the whole cake at the Republican banquet.
