The GOP appears to be breaking itself in two
Since Republicans barely won the House, and with Democrats in the White House and holding the Senate, and several investigations at grand jury stage with indictments looming, it’s fascinating to observe the fracturing of the GOP. Despite doomsday punditry on the left, the timing seems almost poetic, even strategic, like a peaceful swan whose feet are paddling away below the surface.
One observation, the few bits of information released about ongoing investigations into Trump and his co-defendants seem to keep Republicans sweating and making panic moves. Take CPAC 2023. The Republican party appears cleaved in two, with the most insane members attending in support of Trump, including Marjorie Taylor Greene, Matt Gaetz, Ted Cruz, Jim Jordan, and former Brazilian dictator Bolsonaro.
While prominent Republicans such as Kevin McCarthy, Mitch McConnell, Ron DeSantis, Ronna McDaniel, and Mike Pence excused themselves for undisclosed reasons. It’s likely they are distancing themselves from toxic Trump and CPAC 2023 chair, Matt Schlapp, who was credibly accused of sexually assaulting a male staffer for Herschel Walker’s campaign.
Will their voters also be split? So far, there are no moderate Republicans in their 2024 presidential primary race, with moderate Larry Hogan now declining to run, and Liz Cheney a non-starter. With only MAGA and Ultra MAGA announcing runs, there’s no one for Independents or moderate Republicans to vote for.
As the investigations move forward, keep in mind, media frenzies can be bad. According to legal expert Joyce Vance, criminal defense attorneys can try to use sideshows like grand jury foreperson Emily Kohrs, or even the House subcommittee hearings on January 6th, to delay, arguing that massive coverage makes it impossible to get an unbiased jury. But as Vance assures us, “Defendants don’t get a pass just because there’s a lot of interest in their crimes.” Still, pundits on the left should avoid doomsday hysteria. Leave the histrionics to the Republicans.
Chicago native Lorraine Evanoff earned her degree in French from DePaul University then became a Certified Financial Manager. She worked as a finance exec in film production for seven years in Paris, then in Silicon Valley during the dot-com era, and later for various Hollywood production companies, notably as CFO of National Lampoon. She is currently living in Los Angeles with her husband.