White House (Reuters) – For the time being, it is still the Republican Party of Donald Trump.
Trump’s Acquittal
Trump’s acquittal on the charge of inciting last month’s deadly riot at the U.S. Capitol by 43 of the 50 Republican senators, with only seven voting for conviction, shows just how powerful a hold he has on the party he reshaped in his image over the past five years.
Commands Fervent Loyalty Among His Supporters
The former president commands fervent loyalty among his supporters, forcing most Republican politicians to pledge their fealty and fear his wrath. He has largely remained out of sight at his Florida home since leaving the White House on Jan. 20.
Trump is also Political Poison
However, Trump is also political poison in many of the swing districts that frequently decide American elections after two impeachments, months of false claims that his election loss to Democrat Joe Biden was rigged, and an attack on the U.S. Capitol by his supporters that left five people dead.
Presidential Election
Republicans are now in a precarious position as they attempt to put together a strong coalition for the 2022 elections to take back control of Congress and the 2024 presidential election, in which Trump might run.
Trump Supporters
Alex Conant, a Republican strategist and assistant to Senator Marco Rubio during his 2016 presidential primary contest against Trump, stated that it was “hard to imagine Republicans winning national elections without Trump supporters anytime soon.”
It’s clear that the party cannot win with Trump, but it is also clear that it cannot win without him, he said.
After the Trial
Although he has publicly suggested a second run for the White House and is reportedly eager to support primary challengers to Republicans in Congress who voted to impeach or convict him, Trump has not made clear his long-term political plans for after the trial.
Subsequent Survey
If he decides to run again, that is his prerogative, but regardless, one adviser said, “He’s still going to have an enormous amount of influence on both the direction of the policy and also in evaluating who is a serious standard-bearer for that message.” You can refer to it as a kingmaker or anything else you like.
Since the attack on the Capitol on January 6, Trump has continued to enjoy strong Republican support in polls.
Days after the riot, a Reuters/Ipsos poll revealed that 70% of Republicans continued to be satisfied with Trump’s job performance, and a subsequent survey revealed that a similar percentage thought he should be permitted to run for office once more.
However, he is unpopular outside of his party. According to a fresh Ipsos survey released on Saturday, 71% of Americans thought Trump was at least partially to blame for the attack on the Capitol. In the Senate, 50% thought he should be found guilty, 38% disagreed, and 12% were undecided.
Trial was Invalid
Trump’s supporters in the Senate contended that the trial was invalid because Trump had already resigned from office and that his comments prior to the riot were protected by the First Amendment’s guarantee of the freedom of speech. However, the majority of senators, including seven Republicans, disagreed.
Vote had been Conducted in Secret
Democrats claimed that many Republican senators were reluctant to vote against Trump’s conviction because they feared backlash from his supporters.
Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal stated that a conviction would result if the vote had been conducted in secret.
Inciting the Violence
Mitch McConnell, the Senate minority leader, was one of the Republicans who supported the exoneration of Donald Trump on Saturday. However, he later criticised the former president, calling him “practically and morally responsible” for inciting the violence.
His stance exemplified how some Republican leaders are attempting to separate themselves from Trump and curtail his influence without inciting full-scale rage from Trump and his supporters.
Under Trump’s Leadership
According to Trump ally Senator Lindsey Graham, who wants to bring the party together under Trump’s leadership, McConnell’s remarks will not benefit the Republican party in the 2022 mid-term congressional elections.
Graham said on Fox News on Sunday, “I think Senator McConnell’s speech, he got a load off his chest obviously, but unfortunately he put a load on the back of Republicans.” Republicans running for office in 2022 will undoubtedly be questioned about McConnell’s criticism of Trump’s actions, Graham predic
