“Is She Even Relevant Anymore?”: Ann Coulter Blasts “Science Illiterate Governor” Greg Abbott for Endorsing Trump

Michelle HollandNov 30, 2023

Minute Read

Trump supporter-turned-critic and conservative pundit Ann Coulter has slammed Texas Governor Gregg Abbott for endorsing the former president’s bid for reelection in 2024 and getting behind him as the GOP’s nomination. Coulter, who authored multiple books such as “In Trump We Trust: E Pluribus Awesome!”, branded Abbott as “illiterate” on social media.

Accusations of Illiteracy

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Coulter wrote online calling Abbott “the science illiterate governor who kept Texans in masks for about a decade,” referring to the mask mandates enforced during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Coulter’s Endorsement

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As a self-proclaimed “former Trumper” who went on to call Trump a “gigantic baby”, Coulter has decided to support Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in the upcoming Republican primaries, determining who goes face to face with the Democratic nominee in next year’s election.

The 2024 Election

As the incumbent president, Joe Biden is far and away the most likely person to go head-to-head with the GOP’s pick next November. Although a few other Democrats are running, an incumbent president has never lost a primary race, and it is generally considered distasteful to support another candidate.

Joe Biden’s Age

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Therefore, Biden has a clear advantage, but some voters and Democratic Party members have cited concerns about Biden’s age going into election year. Biden is already the oldest sitting president in history, and if he is reelected, he would be 86 by the end of his second term.

The GOP Frontrunner

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Much to Coulter’s dismay, Donald Trump currently leads the GOP primary race by a wide margin, with Ron DeSantis in second place but still trailing behind in polls. Other contenders include former UN ambassador Nikki Haley, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, and former governor of New Jersey Chris Christie.

The DeSantis Campaign

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DeSantis previously served as a House Representative for Florida, during which he supported Trump and helped found the Freedom Caucus, the most far-right bloc in the House, and he has hardline conservative beliefs. DeSantis pushed the infamous Florida Parental Rights in Education Act, known as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, which resulted in a feud between him and Disney.

The Florida Primary

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Currently, Trump leads DeSantis in Florida despite it being the latter’s home state and campaign base; it is a key state for Trump too, which has often been referred to as “Trump country.” DeSantis has generally steered clear of attacking Trump during his campaign, but he has recently made digs about his age.

Abbott’s Approval

While hosting the former president at an event near the Southern border, Gov. Abbott exclaimed: “We need Donald J. Trump back as our president of the United States of America,” adding that he would “restore law and order,”, particularly with regards to immigration.

Trump’s Response

Trump replied, “Mr. Governor, I am going to make your job much easier,” and that Abbott will “be able to focus on other things in Texas.” Many Trump detractors, such as Coulter, have hoped that Trump’s ongoing legal battles would hamper his chance at high-profile endorsements, but the former president appears to simply accumulate more support.

Fading Relevancy

People online wondered why Coulter was still being given coverage on her opinions, with one forum commenter asking: “Is she even relevant anymore?” Someone simply replied “No,” whereas another person explained, “Not since she wrote a book called In Trump We Trust, then turned around and decided that Trump was a mistake.”

Right for the Wrong Reasons

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Though people agreed with Coulter’s assessment that Trump should not be president, they could not get behind her reasoning for the switch-up. When one poster defended Coulter, suggesting that “everyone deserves an off-ramp,” someone retaliated: “She took the off-ramp labeled ‘Trump promised to do horrible things and then failed to do most of them, so he sucks.’ That’s not a great off-ramp.”

Coulter’s Questionable History

Another person pointed out that Coulter has “a long history of supporting some really terrible things and people,” and therefore shouldn’t be praised or forgiven for finally speaking out against Trump.

Just As Bad As Trump

Another person pointed out that Coulter turned against Trump “not because she thinks Trump is bad, she thinks he is all talk no action — he is inefficient at being bad!” whereas another user claimed that DeSantis is “even worse” than Trump.

The Only Logical Outcome

One poster stated, “I love the fact that people like her hate the bed they made for themselves. A guy like Trump being president was the culmination of all of that hard work she did in decades past. In hindsight, it was the only logical outcome.”

The End of the Far-Right

Many criticized Abbott for his endorsement, with one contributor declaring: “Abbott is a fascist just like Trump,” adding that “this next year will be the end of the Republican revolution, they are just not very bright. The country will be much better off without them.” The GOP has become increasingly far-right in recent years as the moderate wing of the party has continued to shrink.

An Expected Endorsement

Many Texans had already resigned themselves to the fact that Abbott would endorse Trump, with one forum member stating: “Of course Greg gave him his endorsement. Fascists gotta stick together.” When someone else noted that “This is actually surprising, it was quite well known Abbott isn’t a fan of Trump,” someone replied, “They hate the same people, and that’s what really matters.”

Eyeing Up a VP Role

Some users proposed that Abbott had ulterior motives behind his endorsement. “Abbott’s ambitious. There is a rumor going around that he wants to be Trump’s VP candidate,” one commenter speculated. In reply, another user disagreed, concluding: “Trump would unconditionally never, ever, place a man confined to a wheelchair in the position of VP within his administration. In fact, Trump can barely tolerate eyeglasses on anyone.”