Critics and allies agree: Will Hurd’s anti-Trump campaign is futile and only benefits the ex-president.

Former Rep. Will Hurd Takes on Donald Trump in 2024 Republican Primary

Former Rep. Will Hurd (R-TX) has entered the 2024 Republican presidential primary with a bold and explicit attack campaign against Donald Trump. However, Trump allies and veteran Republican strategists believe that Hurd’s campaign will only strengthen the former president’s chances of surviving a challenge from Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL).

Hurd, a former CIA clandestine officer, served in Congress from 2015 to 2021 and was one of the few Republican critics of Trump. He chose not to run for reelection in 2020, citing Trump’s influence over the party, and he continues to emphasize these themes in his campaign.

“The soul of our country is under attack,” Hurd declares in his announcement video. “Liberals do nothing. President Biden can’t solve these problems, or won’t, and if we nominate a lawless, selfish, failed politician like Donald Trump — who lost the House, the Senate, and the White House — we all know Joe Biden will win again.”

Despite Hurd’s efforts, Trump’s allies and anti-Trump Republican campaign veterans believe that his campaign will only draw votes away from DeSantis in the primary. They see Hurd’s explicitly anti-Trump stance as appealing to voters and donors who were never going to support Trump but could have supported DeSantis.

“Hurd is running an explicitly anti-Trump campaign. He hits him in his announcement, so the voters he is going for and the donors he is going for were never going to go to Trump,” explains one ally of the former president. “They could have gone to Ron though.”

While Trump has yet to comment on Hurd’s announcement, former administration officials see it as a sign of Hurd’s lack of credibility. They believe that a crowded Republican primary will work in Trump’s favor, as it will divide the votes and make it harder for DeSantis to challenge him.

According to polling averages, over 52% of the Republican Party currently supports Trump for 2024, giving him a significant lead over DeSantis. Internal polling from multiple GOP primary campaigns also suggests that Trump has a strong hold on at least 35% of the party.

Hurd is not the only Republican candidate attacking Trump, but he is one of the few who refuses to sign a pledge to support the GOP nominee. He believes that parties should not manipulate the debate stage and that he will not lie to the American people to gain support.

Trump has previously resisted signing such pledges, and other Republicans like Chris Christie and Asa Hutchinson have also shown hesitation. Some Republicans view Christie’s campaign as a “kamikaze” mission, aimed at preventing Trump from securing the nomination once again.

Overall, Hurd’s entry into the 2024 Republican primary adds an interesting dynamic to the race, but many believe that it will ultimately benefit Trump and hinder DeSantis’s chances of challenging him.

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