by MPeriod
Posted 3 years ago
An early morning text from a Republican operative saying they believe its time for the GOP to just admit they sold their soul over the past for years in exchange for 3 supreme court justices, tax reform, and a record number of federal bench appointments, is probably the most honest take on the current state of the Republican party.
After Trump became one of only ten US presidents to lose re-election, the Republican party has now lost control of the Senate. The two victories in Georgia means the Senate will be split 50-50, giving Vice President Harris the tie breaking vote.
Many Republicans, both locally and nationally see Trump as the reason why the parties political fortunes have turned. His poor handling of covid, doomed his re-election bid. Yet instead of bowing out gracefully he's fractured the GOP, while dragging vulnerable republicans into his conspiracy theory laden tirades meant to overturn the votes. His out of left field demand for $2000 checks, was only a boost to Democrats who had been against his own administration and Senate republicans, fighting for more stimulus. In fact Joe Biden's last minute pitch to Georgia voters was that Georgia helping retake control of the Senate from Republicans was the only way the additional stimulus could be passed, because thus far the Republican majority refused to allow a vote on the increase.
Today, when Congress meets to certify the election results. Some Republicans have already tied their political futures to advancing Trump's conspiracies about his own election. However Fissures are forming as Republicans decide whether it's useful to cling to Trump — even as he tries to subvert an election — or to distance themselves, and more and more Republicans are openly speaking out against Trump and his behavior.
Trumps obsession with staying in power, even after losing the election seem to tip the scales in what were two VERY close races towards the Democrats. Even at a Monday rally designed to drum up voting for Loeffler and Perdue, the president obsessed over his own political grievances, swiping at lawmakers from his own party, including Georgia Republican Gov. Brian Kemp.
The behavior left Republicans shaking their heads Tuesday night, incensed that it might have cost them two critical races. Trump previously proclaimed the runoff elections a fraud, likely depressing turnout from his loyal followers. One of his allies, Lin Wood, who has launched many lawsuits in support of overturning the election results (he lost them all) even told pro Trump, Republican voters to stay home. And it looks like the race came down to just that. Black voters turned out in record numbers for Democrats while the mixed messaging from the Republican party, the opposition to popular proposals like additional stimulus, and the President himself only served to depress Republican turnout.
When asked why Republicans didn’t prevail on Tuesday, a senior Senate Republican aide simply said: “Donald J. Trump.”
Topic: Politics
Tags: Donald Trump Georgia Special Elections Runoff Election GOP Republican Party