ERBIL GUNASTI: Trump will need to play the 'moderate' if he wants to return to ... trends now
These might seem like nervous times for Republicans, Trump supporters in particular.
The former president faces yet another lawsuit, this time a serious charge that, in retaining sensitive documents from his time in office, he has mishandled classified information and conspired to obstruct justice.
Should he be convicted, Trump could spend many years behind bars, perhaps decades – although that is an outcome which first assumes the case will actually go to trial. A big assumption.
It is not the only bad news. Week by week, more contenders for the Republican nomination reveal themselves.
Nikki Haley, former governor of South Carolina, is already in the running. Chris Christie, former governor of New Jersey has thrown his hat in into the ring. Now former Vice President Mike Pence has declared.
The two frontrunners, Donald Trump (pictured) and Florida governor Ron DeSantis, are knocking chunks off each other
None of these are exactly friends of Donald Trump, with Pence declaring that his former boss can 'never' be president again after the disaster of the Capitol invasion on January 6, 2021 – an outbreak of mob violence which many in America say was incited by Trump.
Meanwhile, the two frontrunners, Trump and Florida governor Ron DeSantis, are knocking chunks off each other.
Although uniting with other Republicans in criticising the new Federal indictment, DeSantis has accused Trump of being soft on crime. And of 'destroying millions of lives' through his mishandling of the Covid crisis.
Trump, meanwhile, has mounted a serious of attacks on DeSantis's record (even though latter is yet to formally enter the race) as if Trump were keen to hole his rival below the waterline – and cripple him from the outset.
What's notable is that Trump has chosen the battleground of policy, for once,
