The Future of Trumpism

Donald Trump lost the election. No matter what he tweets or how many legal battles he mounts, Joe Biden will become the next president on January 20, 2021. While some prominent Republicans have so far acknowledged defeat, others, as well as many Trump voters, refuse to accept the results of the election. This divide begs the question of what the future has in store for the Republican Party. 

In the four years that Trump has been president, he has transformed the GOP, moving from business-oriented social conservatism to populism and nationalism, energizing a new base in doing so. Mainstream Republicans who were historically willing to work across the aisle, such as Mitt Romney and John Kasich, are a dying breed, replaced by more partisan political outsiders. Notable examples elected this year include Tommy Tuberville, Alabama’s senator-elect and former college football coach, and Marjorie Taylor Greene, a congresswoman from Georgia and outspoken supporter of the QAnon conspiracy theories.

 While Democrats are quick to condemn Republicans’ rhetoric, the GOP platform resonated with voters. While Trump came up short in his bid for a second term, the GOP unexpectedly picked up multiple seats in Congress. Moreover, Latinos, long considered to be a solidly Democratic demographic, flocked to the GOP. For example, Cuban voters in Florida contributed to his larger-than-expected victory in the state, and in Texas, many Hispanic-majority counties on the US-Mexico border voted for the Republican candidate for the first time in decades. 

Trump has not publicly announced if he will run in 2024, but many experts believe that he will. If he does indeed run, he will certainly be the frontrunner, as he wields enormous influence over the party. However, in the event he decides against running, Republicans would likely choose a younger candidate to carry on his legacy, such as his son, Donald Trump Jr., Vice President Mike Pence, or Texas Senator Ted Cruz, among others. Regardless of who is on the ballot in four years, one thing is clear: the Republican party has permanently changed.