by MPeriod
Posted 3 years ago
Describing President Trump’s phone call with Georgia’s top election official as “frightening,” an Illinois Republican congressman suggested that he now regrets his vote for the president and might even be open to a third party if his GOP colleagues continue to echo baseless conspiracy claims about a stolen election.
The Illinois Republican also expressed concern about possible violence, after Trump and his allies have called on Trump supporters to take to the streets and demand Trump be anointed President. Those protesters, he said, have been victimized by a “scam” perpetrated by Trump.
While he had supported the president “based on policy,” Kinzinger said that Trump’s behavior since the election — questioning the legitimacy of the election and threatening “the underpinnings of democracy” — represents a “massive demarcation” in presidential behavior. He added at one point: “I’ll tell you everything I’m hearing is, he’s freaking out generally.”
Kinzinger, a former Air Force pilot, has been one of the few Republicans to openly and forceful reject Trump's behavior since he lost the election. Kinzinger says, even among Republicans who are challenging the election there is no belief any of it will be successful in overturning the election results. However he is worried about the future of the GOP in the aftermath of Trump’s departure, especially if a sizable chunk of his GOP colleagues continue to falsely fan the flames about a “stolen” election. While acknowledging the legal and political barriers are high, Kinzinger said: “Look, if this party continues down this path, then I think there’s going to be room for a new party.”
Topic: Politics
Tags: Donald Trump Adam Kinzinger GOP Future Election Challenge