The road to the 2024 GOP presidential nomination appears to have a new stop along the way: an influential group of House conservatives.
Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) has addressed the Republican Study Committee (RSC) about the surge of migrants at the border. Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) told the conservative group last week they need to get tougher on President Biden and that former President Trump was to blame for losing the White House and Senate.
Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will join the RSC this week at a news conference on Iran. And Mike Pence, Nikki Haley, Kristi Noem and Marco Rubio are expected to meet with the group in the coming weeks and months.
While no Republican has launched a formal bid for president yet, a number of high-profile potential 2024 hopefuls eager to unseat Biden are huddling with the 154-member RSC, the largest caucus of Republicans on Capitol Hill. The early face time with rank-and-file conservatives allows these possible candidates to test out their campaign messaging and policies while cultivating relationships that could lead to valuable political endorsements and fundraising connections down the road.
Chris Christie – No thanks. He paved the way for Spartacus to get elected, among other misdeeds. Was a good prosecutor, so maybe AG candidate.
Nikki Haley – Disgraced herself by attacking Trump. Done; back to UN post, perhaps.
Stay tuned.