President Donald Trump seems to have enjoyed campaigning more than the actual presidency. He has even stated that he is looking forward to campaigning again in 2020 and it is probably because he doesn’t see any real competition. However, conservative author and commentator Brad Thor recently announced he will challenge the Republican president in the upcoming election.
Thor hinted at a possible campaign if no conservative representatives stepped up to the plate. He tweeted that he will “absolutely challenge” Trump in 2020 because he feels that “America deserves better leadership.” He then shortly made it official and said that he is in for the 2020 race. However, Thor has yet to officially file with the Federal Election Commission, but he seems intent on following through with his proposal.
The New York Times Bestselling author is known for his thrillers, including The Lions of Lucerne, The First Commandment, and The Last Patriot. His books have received praise and criticisms, especially the latter work. The Last Patriot has been slated as Islamophobic. Thor is also a frequent commentator on the Glenn Beck television show and has appeared on several other Fox News Channel shows.
It is unclear whether Thor has any funding behind him yet. He will need to launch a political action committee (PAC) in order to get things going. Trump has an advantage over him in terms of financial support, but Thor has an advantage in being anyone else besides Trump. If we are talking presidential election odds, there are several things to consider.
For starters, Trump’s presidency has been a constant misfire. He has taken flak from all sides, including his own, and is the subject of numerous investigations and scandals. The White House seems to be a revolving door of people filling positions they seem unqualified for, thus sparking even more criticism. Some people are wagering on whether not Trump even makes it a full term before being impeached.
Thor’s promise to provide better leadership could resonate with conservatives that are tired of Trump. However, Trump still has a large mass of supporters. No matter what scandal breaks, there are always people coming to his aid and defending him. It is these people that could carry Trump into a second term. Not many thought he would even get a chance at the presidency. The fact that he won opens up a world of possibilities for fringe candidates.
On the Republican odds, Thor is the only person to state they want to directly challenge Trump. Thor isn’t even listed in most sportsbooks, meaning he is a true outside candidate. These next few months will be interesting if he picks up support and starts to gain some financial traction. For now, keep an eye on Thor and what happens as well as if any other people come out in opposition to Trump’s second term (formally, at least).
View Comments (2)
How on earth does being a thriller novelist qualify a man for President? All his third-party candidacy will do is exactly what Ross Perot's or Ralph Nader's candidacy did to sully the numbers and make it difficult for the conservative candidate to get the larger numbers. So, Mr. Thor, go and write another novel and leave President Trump to continue making America great again, as he is now doing!
I think a lot of people will agree with you. However I'm not sure he would be running as a third party candidate - it sounds like he might run as a republican challenger. I personally did not vote for Trump. I'm a conservative and I was disgusted with how Trump ran his campaign and the way he lied during the entire election process. I was very disgusted in how he lied and used malicious strategy against opponents that were good men, like Ted Cruz. That being said, Trump has surprised me on several fronts, and has actually won me over, at least partially. I am skeptical that there will ever be another fair election or that the media will allow a true conservative to ever win another election. If there ever were a chance for a conservative to win, I think that Trump has been too demonized with these witch hunts and bogus investigations to that guy. I personally am not anxious to see Trump out of the White House, but if he falls too low in the polls to get a second term, I'm definitely open to Thor. If you listen to his principles and positions on the issues, you will see that a lot of what he has to say makes sense. And he's FAR better than getting another lib in there.