America needs leaders with political courage 

The primaries are over — donald trump and joe biden It will be their party’s candidate. The referee is blowing the whistle.nikki haley is stop doing that. That’s exactly what the establishment wants her to do.

But what do voters want? And what does America need?

America needs a coalition of leaders with the political courage to stand up to the current failed regime of Trump and Biden.

Mr. Trump and Mr. Biden are the front-runners as party candidates, but Most voters don’t want them. “They” had the upper hand on Super Tuesday, with Haley’s come-from-behind victory over Trump in Vermont and Biden’s loss to Jason Palmer in American Samoa. Voters are tired of being ignored.

In 1824, no candidate won a majority of the electors in the four-way race between Andrew Jackson, John Quincy Adams, William H. Crawford, and Henry Clay. In 1876, the election between Samuel J. Tilden and Rutherford B. Hayes was suspected of election fraud and voter intimidation, resulting in 20 contested electors from Florida, Louisiana, South Carolina, and Oregon. In both cases, the decisions were sent to Congress. In both cases, the candidate elected president did not receive the most votes.

In a recent interview, new yorker, Biden said, “If and when I win, I think he’ll contest, no matter the outcome.” The political reality is that we have a hard-fought election in November. Haley should use this to run in the general election and win enough electoral votes to force Congress to decide.

Ms. Haley has the support of several prominent Republicans who are unlikely to support Mr. Trump. Sens. Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) and Susan Collins (Maine) recently announced their support for Haley and joined President Trump. phil scott (Bart) and Chris Sununu (NH). She also has support from several former government officials, including: paul ryan, larry hogan and rob portman.

Politics is about addition, and for too long Democrats and Republicans have focused on subtraction. Ms. Haley could strengthen her coalition with those who have been marginalized or forced from power by the radical wing of the major parties. That would set the stage for either Biden or Trump to win enough electors to prevent them from reaching 270 and force Congress to make a decision.

A successful and lasting coalition must include serious MPs with different perspectives. In other words, Ms. Haley needs a coalition of leaders who listen to all voters, not just red and blue voters – a coalition that not only talks but also takes action. I’m saying that.

Since 2016, Trump and the progressive wing of the Democratic Party have alienated serious lawmakers and voters. Kristen Sinema The Arizona native also joined the list of retirees on Tuesday, announcing her retirement. Some big-name politicians, such as Virginia’s Glenn Youngkin and Georgia’s Brian Kemp, are unlikely to support Trump or Biden.

Haley should bring them into the coalition and offer them cabinet positions – perhaps Kemp as vice president and Youngkin as secretary of education.

Serious politicians who won’t support Trump or Biden in winnable states, such as Mitt Romney in Utah, McCain’s supporters in Arizona, Justin Amash and Peter Meyer in Michigan, and Mike Gallagher in Wisconsin. would give Haley a chance of winning 85 electoral votes. , contains three swing states. If that happens, it will be difficult for Trump and Biden to reach 270.

Haley doesn’t want it Democratic vice president, but if she wants to be president, she should follow the lead of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln and provide the American people with a bipartisan Cabinet. Bringing in conservative Democrats like Joe Manchin and John Bel Edwards, as well as independent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, would prove to the American people that she is serious about uniting the country and clinch the election. would increase the chances of securing enough electors to send the election to Congress.

Mark Hanna’s famous quote. “He thinks two things are important in politics. The first is money, but he can’t remember what the second is.” Due to years of negative political attitudes, donor fatigue; That means Trump and Biden will have to run their 2024 campaigns on much tighter budgets than they did in 2020.

Mr. Trump had liquidated litigation funds and had only $30.5 million on hand heading into February. Biden only raised $15.7 million in January. Mr. Trump and Mr. Biden do not have enough campaign funds to successfully fight on two fronts in the general election.

Donor fatigue will favor candidates who can expand their coalitions. Haley raised $11.5 million in January, her campaign announced. $12 million in February. While Trump and Biden are at an eight-ball disadvantage, Haley has an advantage.

Even if Congress does not elect Ms. Haley as president, she will serve the country by checking the power of Mr. Biden and Mr. Trump for a second term. Neither would be able to say that the American people want their president to be their president, nor would they have the mandate to impose the will of the administration on the people.

The world is on fire. Our leaders are dividing us with control and chaos. The American people are unrepresented and powerless. They want serious leaders who can unite the country. They are looking for candidates who can communicate clearly and execute plans. If Haley wants to be that leader, the door is open.

Jeff Mayhugh (@jmayhugh28) is president of the No Cap Fund’s East Coast operations, a former House candidate for VA10, and associate editor of the Freemen News-Letter.