GOP Strategist on MSNBC Says Party’s Candidates Have to Stop Promising ‘Ridiculous Pardons’ For Trump, ‘Which By The Way’ Assume He’s Guilty

Republican political strategist Susan Del Percio told MSNBC host Al Sharpton during a Saturday episode of PoliticsNation that GOP presidential candidates heading into the 2024 primary need to stop promising a pardon for former President Donald Trump.

The Department of Justice earlier this week indicted Trump on 37 charges related to storage of classified material at his Mar-a-Lago estate. If convicted, Trump could spend the rest of his life in prison.

Despite Trump’s legal troubles, the 45th president still maintains a dominate lead over the GOP field, including a 30 point lead over his closest contender, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. Del Percio told Sharpton GOP candidates need to stand up to the former president if they want any shot at capturing the nomination.

“Unless one of the people who are seeking the Republican nomination start really going toe to toe with Donald Trump and calling him out and not promising these ridiculous pardons, which, by the way, makes the assumption that Donald Trump is guilty,” Del Percio noted.

Republican presidential contenders Vivek Ramaswamy and Perry Johnson, who are polling at the bottom of the field, have promised to pardon if they are elected to the presidency. Other candidates such as DeSantis and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley have not made a definitive pledge.

“Everyone out there seems to be fighting, especially Ron DeSantis, to be an option to Donald Trump,” Del Percio added. “Well, right now, there is no need to have an option to Donald Trump because Trump is in the race. What needs to happen is some form of break away from another candidate. And even if they are the ones to come in second and knock DeSantis out, it could show movement that Trump’s base may be with Trump, but there’s a lot of other Republicans out there who have had enough of the former president.

Watch the clip above via MSNBC.