The Future of Trumpism: Part 2

A few weeks ago, I wrote an article titled “The Future of Trumpism”, in which I outlined the future of the Republican Party and argued that Former President Donald Trump’s transformation of the party would be both sweeping and long lasting. Oh, how wrong I was. 

The last few weeks have been truly historic. On Jan. 6, insurrectionists inspired by the President breached the Capitol Building for the first time since the War of 1812. Shortly thereafter, Trump was impeached for the second time by the House of Representatives and currently awaits trial in the Senate. Suddenly, a party that once seemed to be somewhat united behind Trump is now in complete disarray.

In the wake of the riots, many Republicans have distanced themselves from Trump. Ten House Republicans voted to impeach the president last month in the most bipartisan impeachment in history. Former Alaska Governor and Vice Presidential Nominee Sarah Palin, who 12 years ago was considered a polarizing figure in politics, called for the creation of a “healthy, sane and peaceful” third party in a Fox News Interview. Trump and former Vice President Mike Pence have effectively “broken up” after Trump publicly attacked Pence on Twitter. But perhaps the most shocking abandonment has come from Mitch McConnell, arguably Trump’s closest ally over the last four years. McConnell, hoping to purge Trumpism from the party, has rebuked the president on multiple occasions and is strongly considering voting to convict Trump, an unprecedented move that would almost guarantee a successful impeachment. 

However, some Republicans have maintained their support for Trump. 121 House Republicans objected to the official Electoral College Count, effectively stating that the election was fraudulent. In addition to objection to the count, senators Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Josh Hawley (R-MO) signaled their support for the insurrectionists on Jan. 6 through social media posts, which engaged the mob. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), who staunchly opposed Trump four years ago, has emerged as one of the biggest opponents of impeachment. 

Although Congress may very well bar Trump from running for office again, many believe that he will run again in 2024 if he survives the Senate trial. Despite opposition from Republicans in Washington, Trump has retained support from his base; a recent poll conducted by ABC and the Washington Post revealed that 60% of Republicans support Trump. Whether a more mainstream conservative like Pence or an anti-Trump candidates like Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) and Former Governor John Kasich would garner more support remains to be seen. 

In my last article, I attempted to answer the following question: What does the future have in store for the Republican Party? To that, I answer: Only time will tell.