“Hoping for Trump’s Defeat” – Republicans Quietly Debate Party’s Future
(NBC News)
While many Republican lawmakers are publicly rallying around former President Donald Trump, some are quietly hoping for a different outcome in this fall’s election. Behind closed doors, there’s growing tension over how best to secure the party’s future—one that might not include Trump.
According to a report by Politico’s Jonathan Martin, “the most fervent private debate” within the Republican Party is how to “accelerate Trump’s exit to the 19th Hole.” This phrasing underscores a desire among some Republicans to see Trump step away from the political stage, potentially through a defeat by Vice President Kamala Harris.
However, not all Republicans are on the same page. Some believe that if Trump wins re-election, it would be easier to push him off the stage once he reaches his term limits in 2028. The concern is that a loss in 2024 would prolong Trump’s influence over the party, as he might continue to insist that the election was stolen. This could leave open the possibility of a fourth consecutive bid for the presidency, keeping the party in a state of internal conflict.
As Martin reports, “he would once again insist he was cheated and hold out the possibility of a fourth consecutive bid, prolonging the party’s capture.” This situation could create further division among Republicans as they grapple with Trump’s hold on their voter base.
Some Republicans, however, are eager for Trump to exit the scene as quickly as possible. They argue that they could maintain a balance of power by focusing on regaining control of the Senate and relying on a conservative Supreme Court to counter any executive orders from a Harris administration. This group believes that a Harris presidency, paired with strong conservative checks, might be more manageable in the long term.
In a surprising twist, one high-level Republican floated the idea of a Harris victory followed by presidential pardons for both Trump and Hunter Biden. As Martin notes, this strategy might be “wishful thinking” but would effectively remove two major political issues and, in theory, drain energy from Trump’s “persecution complex.”
No matter the outcome this fall, reclaiming control of the party from Trump won’t be easy. Terry Sullivan, a former GOP strategist, told Martin, “You’re assuming Republicans have a top-of-the-ticket problem and not a voter base problem.” This remark highlights the deeper challenge Republicans face: reconnecting with a voter base that has largely remained loyal to Trump. The debate over Trump’s future looms large, and this internal struggle within the Republican Party shows no sign of resolving anytime soon.
