Cape Girardeau County GOP chairman looks ahead at Republican presidential field

Matt Henson, Cape Girardeau County Republican Central Committee chairman, said Monday, Feb. 13, the period between now and the GOP's 2024 nominating convention is a "lifetime" in politics.

Matt Henson

Matt Henson

Associates of former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley have been handing out invitations to a "special Announcement" on Wednesday, Feb. 15.

It is speculated Haley, born Nimrata Nikki Randhawa in 1972 to immigrant parents who came to the U.S. from India, will use the occasion to announce a bid challenging former President Donald Trump for the Republican nomination next year.

"Many candidates posture to be nationally relevant. Nikki already has that benefit having served as U.N. ambassador in the Trump administration," said Henson.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Trump's former Vice President Mike Pence are also said to be preparing bids to challenge Trump.

"One of the reasons a lot of candidates will announce early and raise money early is so when the initial financial (campaign) reports are put out there that they're seen as strong, with support and highly financed. This might have the effect of dampening the efforts of others for making the race," Henson added.

Trump factor

Henson said he attended Lincoln Days last weekend in Springfield, Missouri, a traditional event held by the Missouri Republican Party.

"The only feedback I've ever heard regarding President Trump on the nay side is his style and rhetoric," he said.

"Politics is a lot about perception. I had a politician tell me years ago perception is often more damning than fact. When you're labeled a certain way, if you have behaviors that help support (a negative) perception, then people don't vote for you favorably — whether or not the perception is rendered in fact or not," Henson opined.

Henson noted Gov. Mike Parson during his gubernatorial race outpolled Trump's 2020 numbers in Cape Girardeau County. Parson received 29,127 votes in Cape Girardeau County on Nov. 3, 2020, while the former president received 28,907 tallies.

Third party

Henson does not believe Trump will launch an independent candidacy next year should he fail to secure the GOP nomination.

"No, I don't believe he would. I think (Trump) is politically astute enough to know we have a two-party system, that Democrats are lockstep in support of their candidates and if (Trump) breaks off to a third party bid, it would benefit the other party and he knows that," he said.