What Do Trump’s Rivals Genuinely Hope To Achieve?

History says the large field of Republican presidential candidates will start to shrink long before the first votes are cast in January's Iowa caucuses.

But until then, it looks like there's room for more, as former Texas Rep. Will Hurd declared his candidacy for the GOP presidential nomination. While many will say, “Will who?” the former House member and one-time rising star is positioning himself as an anti-Trump moderate (the same general approach as former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie). (RELATED: Most Americans Think Chris Christie Wrong On Stance For Child Gender Procedures)

Hurd's bid is the longest of long shots, meaning he is likely to get more media attention than primary votes. It's somewhat similar to the approach of another recent presidential entrant, Miami Mayor Francis Suarez. Suarez is running as an anti-Trump, anti-Ron DeSantis candidate. (RELATED: New Polls Suggest DeSantis Has Edge Over Post-Indictment Trump)

Well, good luck to them both, and let's see if either one makes it to Iowa. Or, for that matter, to the first presidential debate in Milwaukee this August.

That stragglers continue to join the GOP field – and let's not forget the aggressive wish-casting that Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin will pile in, too – is a sign. Of what? Ambition, of course. Opportunity, too. Former president (and 2024 frontrunner) Donald Trump has considerable courtroom time ahead of him. There is a real possibility it sidetracks/hurts or even takes him out of the running.

And so they come, one after another. Because there may be real upside to running and losing:

There are incentives for running for president as a longshot. Just look at Pete Buttigieg. The former mayor of the fourth largest city in Indiana vaulted over better known rivals to win the Iowa caucuses, going from someone whose last name tripped up even seasoned news anchors to parlaying his run into a six-figure podcast deal, a book deal, and guest hosting a late night show. Not to mention a Cabinet spot in the Biden administration.

“Pete showed that it's possible for a complete longshot who the elites and the establishment totally wrote off at the beginning to become a top-tier contender,” Lis Smith, Buttigieg's senior communications adviser, said. “And so it makes sense that future presidential candidates would sort of look at the model and try to emulate it. What I would say is that lightning doesn't usually strike twice. It's going to be very difficult for anyone to sort of emulate what he was able to do.”

While Buttigieg's people may think he's positioned for the future, third-tier cabinet officials seldom make credible presidential contenders. Though they can make general safe and bland vice presidential running mates.

But the larger point about running to make an impression for a future run is a very real thing, indeed. Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush…all ran at least once for the nomination before winning it – and the presidency. John McCain and Mitt Romney are examples of candidates who ran at least once before winning the nomination.

With his third run for the White House, Trump is trying to do a Grover Cleveland – win a third consecutive nomination and a second, non-consecutive presidential term.

Running, then, does have an upside. Even if the odds of winning the first time are forbidding.

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of American Liberty News.

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