Ron DeSantis’s exit from the presidential race effectively turns the 2024 election into a three-person contest: Joe Biden, Donald Trump, and Nikki Haley. (We shouldn’t ignore our friend RFK, Jr., though he’s more a factor — and a significant one — than a leader in this race.) DeSantis’s departure means many things. Among them, it means that Donald Trump suddenly likes Ron DeSantis, who he seems to have now elevated to the status of “honorable” rather than dishonorably sanctimonious — or “Ron DeSanctimonious,” as Trump trashed him before.

As our Dan Flynn pointed out in his Spectator A.M., Donald Trump said he’s “very honored” to receive DeSantis’s endorsement and has henceforth proclaimed the DeSanctimonious pejorative “officially retired.” The magnanimous Trump now dubs his once-dishonorable opponent “a very capable person.” (READ MORE: It’s Not Just Watergate: Much of Our Recent History Is Misunderstood)

If you want Donald Trump to praise you, do something for him. That’s all it takes.

And DeSantis has done Trump a big favor by pulling out and making this a three-horse competition between The Donald, Sleepy/Sleazy Joe, and the gal that Trump immortally christened “Bird Brain.”

But alas, Bird Brain has many supporters, which prompts this bird brain, your humble, un-sanctimonious columnist, to offer some trenchant political analysis, given that I double not only as The American Spectator’s editor but as a professor of political science at the great Grove City College. As I share this analysis/advice, I implore readers to not ascribe to me certain personal political motives or preferences. I have no driving passion for any candidate or, frankly, for much of anything in American politics anymore. I’ve watched my country and culture go to hell in a handbasket. (I can’t even count on my pope anymore.) All of this once depressed me, but now, I’m at a point of peace, realizing that nothing short of the Second Coming will straighten out things. I’m certainly not seeking salvation in politics. Consider me truly an American spectator. I’m sitting back, watching, praying for the best, but expecting the insanity to continue full throttle until, well, that Second Coming.

With all that said, here’s my advice to a potentially pivotal group that I’m here labeling the “Disgruntleds” (sort of rhymes with “Deplorables”).

Disgruntleds are comprised of Never-Trump Republicans and the sizable chunk of disgruntled Democrats who don’t like Joe Biden and prefer not to vote for the old man — who, as they know, could well lose to Trump anyway. Those disgruntled Democrats would light themselves on fire come November to vote against Orange Man Bad at the ballot box, just as certain MAGA-ites would ignite themselves for their man. Those non-Biden Democrats, like the Never Trumpers, now basically have a choice between Incoherent Joe and the aforementioned Bird Brain. (READ MORE: After Iowa, It’s Time for Republicans to Rally to Trump)

My advice to them: Team up and vote for Nikki Haley.

For many Democrats, pulling the lever for Nikki Haley surely couldn’t be too arduous a proposition. After all, about half of the Democrats, and 95 percent of the “progressive” liberals, only care about identity politics and a couple of diehard issues, like flipping genders and having abortions. They shouldn’t view Nikki Haley as much of a threat to their party’s and ideology’s holy sacrament of abortion nor to their new secular religion, which can be abbreviated “LGBTQ.” No, Haley isn’t Cultural Revolution Joe on the rainbow agenda, but she’s not Ron DeSantis either. Besides, dear liberals, your blessed Roe is already overturned, Pride Month is now an established month-long national holiday, and Nikki isn’t going to cancel your local Drag Queen Story Hour or tell your five-year-old boy he isn’t a girl.

But above for the Revolutionary Left, Nikki Haley is, of course, a woman. Nothing matters more to cultural lefties than their silly identity politics. Frankly, they’d elect Barney the Purple Dinosaur president of the United States if he were female (or declared himself female). (READ MORE: ‘Free Media’ for Trump Feels Like 2016 Again)

Needless to say, Nikki Haley checks the revered identity politics box. Does anything else really matter?

For progressive Democrats, Nikki Haley ought to be a viable option, given the other choices. As for Never Trump Republicans, there ought to be few hurdles at all. Haley is a standard, reliable, traditional, party-stalwart Republican. Above all, she’s not Donald Trump, who (did I mention?) calls her Bird Brain.

My advice to these Disgruntleds is to come together and rally around Nikki Haley. To repeat, that would be Dems who dislike Biden and Never Trumpers. As to the mechanics that would allow that to happen, via the primaries, general election, etc., that is something that I — man of small brain — have not worked through. I’ll let them figure it out.

In the meantime, I’ll get out the popcorn and continue to be an American spectator from this perch as my country and culture continue to descend into chaos.