Republicans now believe Trump 'is going to croak' — and are vying to replace him: insider

Republicans have made a dramatic U-turn on the 2028 presidential election, with dozens of contenders now expected to enter the race to succeed Donald Trump as president, an insider told Raw Story.

And while no candidates have officially announced their campaigns yet, Rick Wilson, former Republican operative and co-founder of The Lincoln Project, told Raw Story in an exclusive interview that he was tipped off about the development by strategists.

“The number of Republicans who are planning to run in 2028 is growing by the minute,” Wilson told Raw Story.

“I would say a year ago, there was the presumption that Trump was trying to run again,” Wilson said.

But now it’s different.

“They think Trump is going to croak,” he said.

Wilson anticipated that nearly 20 people are planning on vying for the nation’s top job.

“It will be people from Congress, from the Senate, governors, they’re all going to get in because they’re going to see the end of the Trump era. They’re going to claim the throne of MAGA,” Wilson said.

“Ambition is a hell of a drug,” he added.

Wilson shared insights about who some of the potential candidates could be, and how many have played a long waiting game and think it’s about time they line up.

“Some of these guys have been sitting on the sidelines for a decade,” Wilson said. “They all think they should be president.”

The number of candidates could present a problem for the GOP — and particularly Trump.

“I think we’re going to see a real mess starting in the spring of next year, where you’re going to have the Ted Cruzes and Josh Hawleys and all these other people running around, and it’s going to make Trump lose his damn mind. He’s going to go crazy,” Wilson said.

As for Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance, it’s unclear what they will decide to do. Wilson referred to the two Trump administration members as “two men with an exaggerated view.”

He cited why Rubio’s timing could hurt him.

“Marco has peaked way too early. He’s the golden child for Trump and MAGA world, but it’s so early,” Wilson said.

By 2027, it will be clearer who might be next in line to succeed Trump and try to make gains among the MAGA movement, he said.

“Watch the spring of next year, you’re going to see a lot of people suddenly visiting New Hampshire, suddenly visiting Iowa, suddenly announcing the ‘American Dream super PAC’ and writing terrible campaign books,” Wilson added. “That’s become sort of one of the things, the ritual.”