Donald Trump suddenly has a whole new problem
Even as Donald Trump was doing whatever he was doing at Walter Reed hospital in Washington DC on Saturday night, a whole different kind of problem was brewing for him a thousand miles away. One week after Trump got his butt kicked in Kentucky, he proceeded to also get his butt kicked in Louisiana.
Louisiana’s Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards was reelected on Saturday night, defeating Republican challenger Eddie Rispone. This is a big deal within the state, as lots of people will get to keep their health insurance as a result of Edwards’ reelection. But it’s also a big deal nationally, because it’s further evidence that Trump is completely out of gas – and that Republicans who stand too close to him end up losing.
Trump campaigned hard for Republican incumbent Matt Bevin in the red state of Kentucky. Trump also campaigned hard for Republican challenger Rispone in the red state of Louisiana. Both of Trump’s candidates ended up losing in spite of – or perhaps because of – Trump’s efforts. This pattern is forcing Republican Senators to think twice about whether they want to acquit Trump in his upcoming Senate impeachment trial, for fear that the public will respond by voting them out as well.
What Donald Trump needed most right now was to show the Republican Party that it needs him. Instead, these results in Kentucky and Louisiana have shown the Republican Party that they just might fare better without him, even in Republican-leaning states.
