Matthew Dowd: Trump ‘Is in a Much More Dominant Position’ Now than 2016

Former chief strategist for the Bush-Cheney 2004 presidential campaign Matthew Dowd said Tuesday on MSNBC’s “Lindsey Reiser Reports” that former President Donald Trump is in a “much more dominant position” in the 2024 presidential race than he was in 2015 and 2016.

Dowd said, “It’s fascinating about Ron DeSantis, who has had good success in Florida obviously and won overwhelmingly in Florida but can’t do anything when he goes out. At some point, the first time, second time, third time, fourth time outside their state, if they are not doing well, I don’t know if the fifth or sixth or seventh helps them. The biggest problem he has is Donald Trump is as if he is the incumbent in this race case.”

He added, “Eight years ago when Donald Trump first ran, Donald Trump was at 14% or 15% in the polls. Today, he is at 50% or 60% in the polls. He is in a much more dominant position, Donald Trump, than he was in 2015 and 2016 when he still won the nomination in this process. The problem for Ron DeSantis and anybody else running in the race, it’s not about them. Will some external event happen, something – some legal cause or something else happen that gives them a window where they can actually succeed.”