That's because in the previous election trump broadsided a short bus full of professional politicians, going from citizen to President while making complete asses out of them, not to mention blowing the cover off this epic widespread government corruption. No one wanted to go against Trump. Pay attention
2024 will be different.
Trump is no longer an unknown entity facing 15 establishment Republicans.
He now has a track record. A track record of successes and a track record of failures.
Guys like DeSantis and Youngkin will know how to take him on a debate stage. They won't be stumbling and babbling like Trump's opponents in 2016. They'll be punching back and some of those punches will be below the belt but they're going to hurt nonetheless.