In Trump's Shadow: The Battle for 2024

This week we conclude our series of interviews from the meeting of the American Conservation Coalition, a right-of-center environmental organization and talk to someone you may have never heard of but should – Rep. Bruce Westerman of Arkansas. Westerman used to be the Majority Leader of the Arkansas House and moved up to Washington by winning Tom Cotton’s old district when he was elected to the... Source

This week we conclude our series of interviews from the meeting of the American Conservation Coalition, a right-of-center environmental organization and talk to someone you may have never heard of but should - Rep. Bruce Westerman of Arkansas. Westerman used to be the Majority Leader of the Arkansas House and moved up to Washington by winning Tom Cotton's old district when he was elected to the Senate. A graduate of both Arkansas and Yale, he was an engineer and forester by for Mid-South Engineering Company and served as president of the Arkansas chapter of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineering. In the House he is the ranking member of the Natural Resources Committee and leads the GOP Caucus on environmental issues. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a February Pew survey, Americans were asked to rank their priorities of 20 major issues for 2022 and climate change came in 14th. In the partisan divide the survey found only 11% of Republicans even thought it was a priority. (On the Democratic side it was 65%) Former President Donald Trump still holds considerable sway within his party and he pulled the United States out of the Paris Accords and has repeatedly referred to global warming as a Chinese hoax designed to make US industry non-competitive. Swimming against this tide is the American Conservation Coalition. Their mission statement includes, not just a commitment to the environment, but to capitalism. "Strong property rights, competitive markets, and trade, coupled with a culture of environmental stewardship, produce the best environmental outcomes." We recently sat down with the ACC's president, Benji Backer, to talk about the future of environmental politics on the center-right. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we come to you from the meeting of the American Conservation Coalition, a right-of-center environmental organization and talk to New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu. Sununu is currently running for his fourth 2-year term as the Executive of the Granite State and we touch on a variety of issues roiling the news cycle: abortion, redistricting, inflation, the environment and, of course, Donald Trump's continuing influence on the Republican Party. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Former Congressman Will Hurd has a plan: For the Republican Party; for preparing the United States to withstand a major cyber attack from a foreign adversary; and possibly for running for president in 2024. On this episode, Hurd discusses his new book, American Reboot; An Idealist's Guide to Getting Big Things Done, and opens up about his service on Capitol Hill, his years as a clandestine officer in the Central Intelligence Agency that preceded his time in politics, and his political ambitions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we split our time between the present situation in Europe and the future of domestic politics with Richard Grenell, a long time foreign policy advisor to Republican politicians. First, Grenell offers a look inside his former ambassadorial portfolio of Germany and how Angela Merkel's policies helped make the current crisis in Ukraine worse than it had it to be and, depending on the outcome of the 2022 midterms, what a Republican Congress can do under President Biden. Then we turn to domestic politics in 2024, whether Grenell has any ambitions for elective office and whether the field for the GOP primary will include the 45th President of the United States. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rep. Dan Crenshaw represents the 2nd Congressional District (which includes northwest Houston) and also represents the next generation of Republican leadership. As a member of SEAL Team 3, Crenshaw lost his right eye and damaged the left one due to an IED in Afghanistan in 2012. Lt. Commander Crenshaw (2 Bronze Stars - 1 with V - Purple Heart and Navy and Marine Corps Commendation with valor) was medically discharged from the Navy four years later and went on to get a Masters in Public Administration from Harvard. He joined us from his home in Texas (with an occasional hammering courtesy of a contractor) to talk about his journey to Congress, Russian adventurism in Ukraine and the state of affairs in domestic politics. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Unlike parliamentary systems, America doesn't have a single, designated "Leader of the Opposition." The closest thing we have today is Mitch McConnell, the current Minority Leader of the US Senate. McConnell has been in the Senate for 37 years, the last 15 years as Party Leader. On his shoulders rests the successes of Republican presidents and the failures of Democratic ones. And this incurs the wrath of both the Right and the Left. As other Republicans jockey for the 2024 nomination, Washington power - and possibly the future of the GOP - lies in the hands of the Senior Senator from Kentucky, so this week we talked to someone who knows McConnell as well as anyone. Scott Jennings is a founding partner of RunSwitch, providing senior level political, communications, public affairs, media relations, and crisis communications counsel for national and international clients. Jennings has served in senior positions and advisory roles on McConnell campaigns for over 20 years. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

To understand the long shadow that the former president continues to cast, we go back to the people that put him in the White House in the first place. Is it something the voters saw in Donald Trump that they really liked - or is it something they saw in the other candidates (such as the darling of the establishment, Jeb Bush) that they simply disliked? In 2018 Republican consultant Brad Todd teamed with the Washington Examiner's Salena Zito to explain the Trump phenomena and to try to define the forces at work in The Great Revolt. The book has been out for years, but the lessons for 2024 are still relevant. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a decidedly different edition of our show we get to take a look at the state of our politics from the other dugout - from the pollster who took a leave of absence from Harvard to join the 2020 campaign of Joe Biden. John Della Volpe is the author of a new book entitled Fight: How Gen Z is Channeling Their Fear and Passion to Save America. As Joe Biden's approval numbers tumble, Della Volpe looks back to what made the campaign successful in the first place. (According to the latest Pew Research poll*, the President is currently underwater with the 18-29 age group with 35% approve-63% disapprove.) Della Volpe is the Director of Polling at the Harvard Kennedy School Institute of Politics. The Washington Post referred to John as one of the world's leading authorities on global sentiment, opinion and influence among young Americans in the age of digital and social media. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since 1974 when Ronald Reagan gave the first keynote address, the Republican Road to the White House has run through CPAC, the annual political conference run by the American Conservative Union. Since 2014 that organization has been run by Matt Schlapp. Schlapp served two years as the White House Director of Political Affairs in the first George W. Bush Administration and his wife, Mercedes, worked in the White House under both President Bush and Donald Trump. In this interview, Schlapp addresses the reasons behind the loyalty of Donald Trump's supporters, the current "cancel culture" and the reluctance of former Vice-President Mike Pence to speak at CPAC and to talk about the irregularities of the 2020 vote and what went on at the Capitol on January 6, 2021. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fresh off the win for his client in the Virginia's Governor race, Republican strategist and campaign manager Jeff Roe sits down with David Drucker to talk about turning the Commonwealth from +10 Biden to +2 Youngkin, and looks forward to the next two election cycles. Roe is blunt (and explicit) about Joe Biden and the coming midterms, as well as the 800 lb. gorilla in the room for the 2024 Republican nomination for president - who might be able to challenge that - and who might be just be nothing more than a pretender. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In four years, President Donald Trump went through four National Security Advisors. The last of these, Robert C. O'Brien, may have been the best fit. Prior to the current occupant of the White House, O'Brien has served in every administration of the 21st Century, including Barack Obama's. A diplomatic professional, he also advised the presidential campaigns of Mitt Romney, Scott Walker and Ted Cruz. In this, the silly season of politics before the midterms, some are talking up the former ambassador as a possible 2024 contender - but, of course, all speculation is done under the shadow of Trump who is considering his own comeback bid. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this edition, a wide ranging interview with Representative Devin Nunes (R - CA22), the ranking member on the House Intelligence Committee and its Chairman from 2015-19. Among the topics discussed: The Steele Dossier and the current state of the Durham investigation, the politicization of the Intelligence Community and the Department of Justice, the readiness of our military and the aftermath of the January 6th riot at the Capitol. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie is, in many ways, a more polished version of Donald Trump. Blunt and outspoken, he has never been shy about engaging in political pugilistics. In this interview he takes on Trump's post-election behavior, the Biden Administration and his own future and how that intertwines with that of his party and his country. This interview took place on September 23, 2021 as part of the Texas Tribune Festival and we thank them for allowing us to present it here as part of this series. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In January of 2016 National Review published a cover story titled "Against Trump," a collection of short essays opposing the eventual nomination (and election) of Donald Trump as 45th President of the United States. Rich Lowry, the editor of National Review, sat down with David Drucker to review the motivations behind that issue - and what they got right and what they got wrong - concerning what was to come in a Trump Administration. This podcast is a companion to David Drucker's book In Trump's Shadow: The Battle for 2024 and the Future of the GOP and is now available wherever books are sold. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jason Miller is a longtime GOP operative. He witnessed Donald Trump's rise to the White House, first as an opponent working for Sen. Ted Cruz (R - TEX) and then as the spokesman for his campaign after he won the nomination. Not without his own share of controversy, Miller reflects on his time working for Trump in both of his runs for the White House and now as his role of the CEO of GETTR, the alternative social media app to Twitter. David Drucker's book, In Trump's Shadow: The Battle for 2024 and the Future of the GOP, was released today and is available everywhere. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Before there was Donald Trump the politician, there was Donald Trump the TV personality. Before there was Joe Scarborough the TV personality, there was Joe Scarborough the politician. Their paths crossed often. On this episode, Scarborough reflects on Trump's rise to the White House, the role that the media played in that and how the former president - and his supporters - have changed the face of the party that Scarborough represented in the House from 1995 to 2001. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas is unapologetic about his interest in running for president in 2024. He has made multiple trips to Iowa and New Hampshire this year — and the year isn't over. In this episode, Cotton talks about his future, Trump's impact on the future of the GOP, and where the two of them might differ (hint: they don't agree on everything.) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming began the Trump era a rising Republican star. She was elected to the House of Representatives in 2016, the same year Donald Trump was elected president, and quickly advanced in the GOP congressional leadership. It all came crashing down this year, when Cheney rejected Trump, very publicly, after he refused to concede defeat to President Joe Biden and claimed the 2020 election was stolen. In this episode, Cheney discusses the moment she concluded Trump should be purged from the Republican Party, why she believes the 45th president is a clear and present danger to the republic, and what she thinks of Republicans, like House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California, who have remained loyal to Trump through all of it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike Pompeo began the Trump era as an opponent of the future 45th president. But by the time Donald Trump exited the White House in January 2021, the former CIA director and former Secretary of State had emerged as perhaps his most trusted Cabinet official. In this episode, Pompeo talks Afghanistan; discusses his experience in the Trump administration, sounds off on the former president's impact on the Republican Party; and addresses the question of how Trump's plans for a 2024 bid might impact his own presidential ambitions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a February Pew survey, Americans were asked to rank their priorities of 20 major issues for 2022 and climate change came in 14th. In the partisan divide the survey found only 11% of Republicans even thought it was a priority. (On the Democratic side it was 65%) Former President Donald Trump still holds considerable sway within his party and he pulled the United States out of the Paris Accords... Source

This week we come to you from the meeting of the American Conservation Coalition, a right-of-center environmental organization and talk to New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu. Sununu is currently running for his fourth 2-year term as the Executive of the Granite State and we touch on a variety of issues roiling the news cycle: abortion, redistricting, inflation, the environment and, of course... Source

Former Congressman Will Hurd has a plan: For the Republican Party; for preparing the United States to withstand a major cyber attack from a foreign adversary; and possibly for running for president in 2024. On this episode, Hurd discusses his new book, American Reboot; An Idealist’s Guide to Getting Big Things Done, and opens up about his service on Capitol Hill, his years as a clandestine officer... Source

This week we split our time between the present situation in Europe and the future of domestic politics with Richard Grenell, a long time foreign policy advisor to Republican politicians. First, Grenell offers a look inside his former ambassadorial portfolio of Germany and how Angela Merkel’s policies helped make the current crisis in Ukraine worse than it had it to be and... Source

Rep. Dan Crenshaw represents the 2nd Congressional District (which includes northwest Houston) and also represents the next generation of Republican leadership. As a member of SEAL Team 3, Crenshaw lost his right eye and damaged the left one due to an IED in Afghanistan in 2012. Lt. Commander Crenshaw (2 Bronze Stars – 1 with V – Purple Heart and Navy and Marine Corps Commendation with valor) was... Source

Photo: RunSwitchPR/Shutterstock Unlike parliamentary systems, America doesn’t have a single, designated “Leader of the Opposition.” The closest thing we have today is Mitch McConnell, the current Minority Leader of the US Senate. McConnell has been in the Senate for 37 years, the last 15 years as Party Leader. On his shoulders rests the successes of Republican presidents and the failures of... Source

To understand the long shadow that the former president continues to cast, we go back to the people that put him in the White House in the first place. Is it something the voters saw in Donald Trump that they really liked – or is it something they saw in the other candidates (such as the darling of the establishment, Jeb Bush) that they simply disliked? In 2018 Republican consultant Brad Todd... Source

Photo: Harvard Kennedy School/St. Martins Press In a decidedly different edition of our show we get to take a look at the state of our politics from the other dugout – from the pollster who took a leave of absence from Harvard to join the 2020 campaign of Joe Biden. John Della Volpe is the author of a new book entitled Fight: How Gen Z is Channeling Their Fear and Passion to Save America. Source

Photo: Shutterstock/Tan Books Since 1974 when Ronald Reagan gave the first keynote address, the Republican Road to the White House has run through CPAC, the annual political conference run by the American Conservative Union. Since 2014 that organization has been run by Matt Schlapp. Schlapp served two years as the White House Director of Political Affairs in the first George W. Source

Composite photo: Shutterstock and Axiom Strategies. Fresh off the win for his client in the Virginia’s Governor race, Republican strategist and campaign manager Jeff Roe sits down with David Drucker to talk about turning the Commonwealth from +10 Biden to +2 Youngkin, and looks forward to the next two election cycles. Roe is blunt (and explicit) about Joe Biden and the coming midterms... Source

Robert O’Brien with VP Pence and President Trump (Photo: Trump White House/National Archives) In four years, President Donald Trump went through four National Security Advisors. The last of these, Robert C. O’Brien, may have been the best fit. Prior to the current occupant of the White House, O’Brien has served in every administration of the 21st Century, including Barack Obama’s. Source

On this edition, a wide ranging interview with Representative Devin Nunes (R – CA22), the ranking member on the House Intelligence Committee and its Chairman from 2015-19. Among the topics discussed: The Steele Dossier and the current state of the Durham investigation, the politicization of the Intelligence Community and the Department of Justice, the readiness of our military and the aftermath of... Source

Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie is, in many ways, a more polished version of Donald Trump. Blunt and outspoken, he has never been shy about engaging in political pugilistics. In this interview he takes on Trump’s post-election behavior, the Biden Administration and his own future and how that intertwines with that of his party and his country. This interview took place on September 23... Source

In January of 2016 National Review published a cover story titled “Against Trump,” a collection of short essays opposing the eventual nomination (and election) of Donald Trump as 45th President of the United States. Rich Lowry, the editor of National Review, sat down with David Drucker to review the motivations behind that issue – and what they got right and what they got wrong – concerning what... Source

Jason Miller, Communications Director for Trump/Pence at the Trump National Golf Course in Bedminster, NJ in Nov. 2016 (Photo: a katz / Shutterstock) Jason Miller is a longtime GOP operative. He witnessed Donald Trump’s rise to the White House, first as an opponent working for Sen. Ted Cruz (R – TEX) and then as the spokesman for his campaign after he won the nomination. Not without his own share... Source

Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” moderate a town hall with Republican presidential candidate Donald J. Trump in Charleston, South Carolina on Feb. 17, 2016 (Photo: Mark Peterson/Redux / Redux for NBC News File) Before there was Donald Trump the politician, there was Donald Trump the TV personality. Before there was Joe Scarborough the TV personality... Source

Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas is unapologetic about his interest in running for president in 2024. He has made multiple trips to Iowa and New Hampshire this year — and the year isn’t over. In this episode, Cotton talks about his future, Trump’s impact on the future of the GOP, and where the two of them might differ (hint: they don’t agree on everything.)... Source

Representative Liz Cheney speaking at an anti-abortion/anti-infanticide press conference outside the United States Capitol. (Shutterstock File Photo) Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming began the Trump era a rising Republican star. She was elected to the House of Representatives in 2016, the same year Donald Trump was elected president, and quickly advanced in the GOP congressional leadership. Source

Mike Pompeo began the Trump era as an opponent of the future 45th president. But by the time Donald Trump exited the White House in January 2021, the former CIA director and former Secretary of State had emerged as perhaps his most trusted Cabinet official. In this episode, Pompeo talks Afghanistan; discusses his experience in the Trump administration, sounds off on the former president’s impact... Source

Introducing In Trump’s Shadow. Source