Cape Fear voters react to Trump’s third bid for the White House
WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) – Donald Trump announced his candidacy Tuesday night in Florida and made it clear he viewed himself as the only option for the 2024 Republican nomination.
Former President Donald Trump made his third bid for the White House but will he have the full support of the Republican Party?
Catawba Professor Michael Bitzer has studied and researched North Carolina politics for more than 20 years.
“I think that certainly the Republican base is very much behind the president but I think what we will see throughout the Republican presidential primary battle is, how strong is that Trump support?” he said.
Local voter Colleen Lux said she supports Trump’s presidential bid.
“I think it’s a good thing, I think he did a pretty good job when he was in,” she said. “I don’t really know. I’m not happy with the way things are right now.”
Lux said her husband’s recent death had made it emotionally and financially difficult for her family.
“I have lost half of the income in my household,” she said. “And I have two boys at home.”
Meanwhile, Vicki Ohanesian-Prince, also a local voter said she wasn’t surprised by the former president’s announcement.
“Was I pleased about it, not necessarily,” she said.
Ohanesian-Prince hopes there will be more Republicans who intend to enter the race.
“I am also still very disappointed that we don’t have more choices for the Republican Party at this point,” she said.
According to Bitzer, that might change, he expects Trump to have some opposition and may face a challenge in claiming the nomination.
“I think that folks like DeSantis, and Mike Pence potentially, from South Carolina like either Tim Scott or Nikki Haley will make it a real test for whether the former president can reclaim the Republican presidential nomination,” he said.
According to Bitzer, the announcement will revitalize both parties.
In North Carolina, he says it’s hard to tell which side will win, especially with our reputation of being a battleground state.
It’s too early in the cycle to tell what will happen, said Bitzer, in the end, it will be up to the voters.
