Trump's success is partially a function of the reality that he's running as a de facto incumbent; despite his 2020 loss, his base still thinks he's got the juice. But there are also signs that he's running a significantly smoother campaign operation than in 2016 or 2020. That improved machinery underscores how the 2024 general election — which Trump is all but certain to run in, barring a legal prohibition — could play out differently than four years ago and make President Joe Biden's election bid harder than before.
