GOP Fears Michelle Obama Will Run For President In 2024

Republicans now fear a possible 2024 presidential bid by former First Lady Michelle Obama, noting that her running could put them in a “very difficult position.”

Monico Crowley, a former treasury spokesman and aide to Donald Trump, on Saturday said that Michelle Obama running for president could threaten the chances of Republicans in the 2024 election, adding that she is both popular and “immune to criticism.”

"If they [Democrats] were to run Michelle Obama, that would put us in a very difficult position because they'd reach for a candidate who is completely plausible, very popular, and immune to criticism," Crowley said.

"Also, when you think about her positioning, she spoke as a DNC [Democratic National Convention] keynote speaker in 2020, she wrote her autobiography and did a 50-city tour, she has massive Netflix and Spotify deals, and she's got a voting-rights group alongside Stacey Abrams."

Crowley made the remarks during a panel discussion at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Orlando, Florida. The event featured her alongside other key Republican figures, including Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Texas, conservative activist Jack Posobiec and attorney Kurt Schlichter.

Crowley said a bid by Michelle Obama could happen should President Joe Biden decide not to run for re-election, and should Vice President Kamala Harris fail to secure the Democratic nomination.

However, Michelle Obama, who was the first lady from 2009 to 2017, has repeatedly expressed a distaste for politics. She has also stated that she does not see her name on a presidential ballot.

“The reason why I don’t want to run for president … is that, first of all, you have to want the job,” she said in a 2018 conference in Boston. “I’ve never had the passion for politics. I just happened to be married to somebody who has the passion for politics.”

The former first lady has also never held elective office. However, she became well known for speaking up on key Democratic policies, including protecting voting rights. Some of her major speeches, such as the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver where she delved into her story about growing up on the South Side of Chicago, also earned the praise of many voters.

Former US first lady Michelle Obama led an outpouring of support for Simone Biles following her decision to withdraw from the Olympic team final on Tuesday Photo: AFP / SAUL LOEB