[guest post by Dana]

Understanding that all of the election results are not yet in, but considering the results we do have, do you think Trump’s influence on the Republican Party is waning?

I ask because he doesn’t appear to be very happy the morning after:

Trump is indeed furious this morning, particularly about Mehmet Oz, and is blaming everyone who advised him to back Oz — including his wife, describing it as not her best decision, according to people close to him.

— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) November 9, 2022

Worth remembering that Trump is a grown man who endorsed Oz over the objection of some of the people closest to him, and instead went beyond just endorsing and attacked Dave McCormick from the stage at a rally.

— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) November 9, 2022

On Monday, Trump had announced that he would be making a “very big announcement” on Tuesday, November 15:

At his final rally before the midterm elections, Trump says, “I am going to be making a very big announcement on Tuesday, Nov. 15 at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida.”

Vote. Our democracy depends on it. pic.twitter.com/R9WJt4goXs

— The Republican Accountability Project (@AccountableGOP) November 8, 2022

Then there were some not-so-subtle warnings concerning DeSantis, if the governor decides to run for the presidency:

“I don’t know if he is running. I think if he runs, he could hurt himself very badly. I really believe he could hurt himself badly,” Trump said. “I think he would be making a mistake, I think the base would not like it — I don’t think it would be good for the party.”

“Any of that stuff is not good — you have other people that possibly will run, I guess,” he added. “I don’t know if he runs. If he runs, he runs.”

Trump did say that if DeSantis does run, “I would tell you things about him that won’t be very flattering — I know more about him than anybody — other than, perhaps, his wife.”

I’ve been out of pocket for a few weeks and during that time I made a concerted effort to avoid election news, so maybe I’m missing something significant. But it appears to me that Trump, who believes that he alone is and should be the top dog in the Republican Party, will be unable to resist any “threat” to his throne. Especially from someone like DeSantis. I don’t think any real political calculus will be involved in his decision to run again. At the base level, his decision to run – I believe he will – will be a shallow one rooted in avenging the “stolen election,” his insatiable drive for power, and his desperate need for adulation from his MAGA followers and sycophants. But as to what’s in our nation’s best interest (and even the Republican Party’s best interest)? You know better than to ask such silly questions.

–Dana