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“These elections were the funeral of the Republican Party that we know.” No, Republican Senator Josh Hawley wasn’t directing his criticism at Donald Trump, but at the Republican establishment in Washington. It was the announcement of the coming trench warfare within the «Grand Old Party».
Because the criticism of Donald Trump had grown after the midterm elections, which were disappointing from a Republican point of view. And it came from important quarters, like the Murdoch media empire, from MPs or conservative financiers. Nevertheless, the ex-president who was voted out wants to become a Republican presidential candidate again. And the old Republicans hardly have the power to prevent that.
Trump, the election loser
Donald Trump’s announcement that he wants to campaign again in two years’ time comes as no surprise. And yet it is a bang that Trump apparently felt compelled to do after he suddenly felt a headwind.
With Trump as president, the Republicans lost the House of Representatives in the 2018 midterm elections, and the White House and Senate in 2020. And in the midterms a week ago, Trump-backed candidates lost elections seen as key duels to win back Congress. The main qualifying feature of these candidates was that they stuck to Trump’s election lie. So this is now falling back on Trump.
Trump, the favorite
No wonder Republican strategists and even Trump’s inner circle have recently tried to at least get him to postpone the announcement he has already announced. But Trump chose not to give a damn. Because Trump is still the favorite if, for example, the aspiring governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis, actually disputes his Republican candidacy.
A poll by the magazine “Politico” showed on the day of Trump’s announcement that 47 percent of the Republicans surveyed would still vote for Trump in party primaries. Challenger DeSantis came to 33 percent. All others did not even come close to such approval values.
Trump’s power
While some in the Republican establishment hinted after the midterm elections that they favored a future without Trump, the Republican base remains firm with the former president. This gives Trump the power he needs and seeks. Because the party needs Trump and his base more than he needs the party.
And Trump has already given a glimpse of what awaits Republicans should anyone actually dare to oppose him. Ron DeSantis, according to Trump, could “seriously harm himself” with a candidacy. Because he, Trump, knows things about DeSantis that are “unflattering”.