The Washington Examiner's Sarah Bedford suggested there's very little that could would take away from former President Donald Trump's lead in 2024.
Bedford appeared on Fox News's Your World with Neil Cavuto Friday to share her analysis of the Thanksgiving FAMiLY Forum happening in Iowa. According to her, it has helped Trump not to attend events like these.
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"Trump has just so completely shifted the center of gravity for the Republican Party that I think these set pieces — the debates, the endorsements, the forums — just haven’t really mattered at all, you know," Bedford said. "Donald Trump’s lead has remained so prohibitive from the spring — I mean, from November of last year. He’s been running for a year now, and nothing has changed that."
Friday's forum was meant to give a platform to the other Republican candidates competing for the presidential nomination. Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL), and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy were in attendance as organized by President and CEO of The FAMiLY Leader Bob Vander Plaats, who has yet to endorse anyone. Vander Plaats wrote in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, that the forum was an opportunity for them "to make case for being the alternative to Donald Trump."
Iowa has opportunity to provide America a choice. Today's Thanksgiving FAMiLY Forum featuring @VivekGRamaswamy , @AmbNikkiHaley and @RonDeSantis will provide candidates a platform to make case for being the alternative to @realDonaldTrump #ChooseWell2024 https://t.co/vwVCcmBp5e
— Bob Vander Plaats (@bobvanderplaats) November 17, 2023
However, according to Bedford, Trump is helping his perception by "letting the other lower-tier candidates fight it up" at events like this forum.
"So I think barring an act of God — God forbid Donald Trump getting run over by a bus — I think that a lot of these forums are really not going to affect the makeup of the Republican primary at all at this point," Bedford said.
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There are seven total GOP candidates running to be the nominee, with Gov. Doug Burgum (R-ND), former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, and former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson rounding out the GOP field.
Meanwhile, Trump is juggling four court cases against him in federal and state courts. Since the first case against him was announced, he has maintained a lead against his opponents.