President Richard Nixon famously complained that Republican candidates were expected to go hard-right in presidential primaries only to make a mad dash for the center in general elections. A New York Times headline from November 11, 1964 read "Nixon Recommends Move to the Center — Rejects Rightist Extremism," and Nixon warned fellow Republicans that embracing the far-right conspiracy theorists of the John Birch Society was a recipe for losing to Democrats.
Donald Trump, in contrast, is showing no signs of moving to the center now that he is officially the 2024 GOP presidential nominee.
With the general election underway, Trump is making a concerted effort to rally his MAGA base as aggressively as possible. And he isn't toning down his extreme rhetoric a bit.
In a report published on March 20, Axios' Sophia Cai emphasizes that Trump is willing to give fringe extremists and previously "sidelined characters" of the past roles in his general-election campaign.
"Trump's 2024 campaign has been notable for its rigor: Top advisers have largely steered clear of the most controversial far-righters who surrounded Trump in the past," Cai explains. "But ex-advisers, conspiracy theorists and convicted felons are now knocking on the campaign's door — and some are getting in. They're returning as Trump more aggressively touts January 6 rioters as 'patriots,' ramps up his racist, incendiary rhetoric — and embraces some of his most provocative loyalists."
The "characters" that have been talking to "Trump's team," Cai reports, include 2016 campaign managers Paul Manafort and Corey Lewandowski.
Conspiracy theorist and former One America News (OAN) host Christina Bobb has been hired by the Republican National Committee (RNC), and GOP operative Roger Stone, according to Cai, "has been a frequent presence at Mar-a-Lago lately."
"Batting away unsolicited outreach from certain far-righters has been a constant challenge for the Trump campaign's inner circle, which at times, has resisted his instincts," Cai reports. "Trump wanted to hire far-right activist Laura Loomer, the (New York) Times reported. But co-campaign manager Susie Wiles objected, two people familiar with the episode told Axios."
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Read Axios' full report at this link.