What to Republican's do now?

[watu05]

Now that it's undeniable that the Republican Party as a party is now Donald Trump's party, what do traditional Republicans do who find Trump repugnant? Some of my friends have gone over to No Labels claiming that doing so won't aid Trump's elections. Few believe them. Other's just say they don't have a party anymore. They don't want to vote Democratic, but they also don't want Trump as President and more an more Republicans are Trumpists.
Some conservatives have posted this board denying support for Trump but in support of basic (former?) Republican values. Fair enough, but does that alternative exist anymore? Trump already effectively controls Republican primaries, what bills come up to vote in the House, and has driven many old line Republicans congressmen into retirement to be replaced by his followers.
Maybe many here are all in Trump supporters, but if you're a Rebublcan and not, what is the plan?

 

[aTUfan]

what do democrats do now?

 

[Gmoney4WW]

Now that it's undeniable that the Republican Party as a party is now Donald Trump's party, what do traditional Republicans do who find Trump repugnant? Some of my friends have gone over to No Labels claiming that doing so won't aid Trump's elections. Few believe them. Other's just say they don't have a party anymore. They don't want to vote Democratic, but they also don't want Trump as President and more an more Republicans are Trumpists.
Some conservatives have posted this board denying support for Trump but in support of basic (former?) Republican values. Fair enough, but does that alternative exist anymore? Trump already effectively controls Republican primaries, what bills come up to vote in the House, and has driven many old line Republicans congressmen into retirement to be replaced by his followers.
Maybe many here are all in Trump supporters, but if you're a Rebublcan and not, what is the plan?

I don't feel like I am represented by the Republican party right now. I don't have a plan, but to wait out Trump, if necessary for 4 years, and hope it gets better. What can you do? Even if your plan is to vote for Biden, that doesn't seem like it will evade Trump. I'm in Oklahoma, so voting for Trump or not, won't change the fact that Oklahoma will give all its delegates to Trump.

 

[lawpoke87]

Most Pubs will hold their nose and vote for Trump imo. This will be his last election cycle. I do have several friends who at least say they will vote for RFK who normally would vote Pub. I don’t know any Pub planning on voting for Biden. Mainly due to his lack of cognitive ability as well as inflation/spending concerns. No really good options in 2024.

WATU….care to comment on spending and our $1.6T deficit this year as well as our national debt which will approach $40T in the next few years? What about the 5% interest we’re spending to service the same. Your silence on this worsening crisis since Biden took office has been curious.

 

[HuffyCane]

Most “traditional” conservatives I talk to remain confident that Trump will lose in the fall and his brand will tarnish. And then he will fade.

This is a fool’s errand. It became his party for quite awhile when he won in 2016. Just as when Nixon, Reagan and W won.

By that I mean, a win secures experience for about 5000 people to go inside government to begin the process of merging their opinions with the process of learning how to operate a government.

Those people eventually leave government and work either in the media, policy or fundraising shop for the next 10 to 50 years, depending upon their age.

Up until about 5 years ago, you had people wandering around DC, in suits 10 years passed fashion, trying to convince you that they needed back in because of what they learned under Nixon. Even though you had nothing to do with the Trump Administration and couldn’t help them get hired. People would be shocked at the number of Nixon alums in the W administration, especially in the Pentagon.

Whether Republicans like it or not, Trump, in one form or another, will be around DC and the Republican Party for 50 years after he passes on, whether that passing is politically or physically.

So the question for Republican leadership is whether they are able to lead in an environment based on disruption of political discourse. Literally every question for them boils down to what Donald Trump thinks about whatever they propose to do. And sometimes that’s nothing. And sometimes that’s break things.

The source of Trump’s strength is disruption. It’s why his strength is growing. People are frustrated. So him bringing chaos or lack of action on stuff is appealing to many. Government isn’t working for me, this guy wants to beat up on government, go ahead.

This is a problem for so called conservatives in areas like defense and certain aspects of immigration policy and other tax policy where conservatives have been successful on a bi-partisan basis. If your platform is disruption, you are going to disrupt allies, including “traditional conservatives”. Teddy Roosevelt had the same problem. It’s why he got elected, why he was wildly popular with the public, but it’s also why he didn’t get re-elected and is on Mount Rushmore.

Traditional conservatives seeking the status quo for the last 40 years should vote for Biden. Or not at all so Biden is elected.

 

[watu05]

Would it be suicide for Senator Lankford to consider this?

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www.cnn.com

 

[lawpoke87]

Would it be suicide for Senator Lankford to consider this?

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www.cnn.com

Manchin hung on for years in a very red state supporting Dem presidents until Biden’s unpopularity finally did him in this cycle.

 

[HuffyCane]

Would it be suicide for Senator Lankford to consider this?

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www.cnn.com

Yes

 

[Clong83a]

Manchin hung on for years in a very red state supporting Dem presidents until Biden’s unpopularity finally did him in this cycle.

He did not rule out running for re-election as an independent when asked about it point blank. Not sure he will do it unless he thinks he can win, but that would make for an interesting election.

He is doing things that are consistent with the idea of running again as an independent, like announcing that he will not approve any judges unless there is GOP buy-in on the candidate as well. If he was planning to just retire, I am not sure why he would bother to announce things like that.

 

[lawpoke87]

He did not rule out running for re-election as an independent when asked about it point blank. Not sure he will do it unless he thinks he can win, but that would make for an interesting election.

He is doing things that are consistent with the idea of running again as an independent, like announcing that he will not approve any judges unless there is GOP buy-in on the candidate as well. If he was planning to just retire, I am not sure why he would bother to announce things like that.

If he wants to remain in the Senate and Independent run would likely be his only chance based on the polling I’ve seen.

 

[Clong83a]

If he wants to remain in the Senate and Independent run would likely be his only chance based on the polling I’ve seen.

For sure. There just aren't enough cross-over votes for him anymore.

He might have a shot if he ditches the Dems at some point in the near future. He'd probably still get a lot of the centrist Dem vote over the lefty guy the party is running, and he could recoup enough of those cross-over votes from more populist Rs to squeak by in a three way race. It'd be his only real chance.

But besides just idle speculation, the thing that makes me think maybe he will do it is that he has not forcefully shot down the idea when asked about it. We'll know soon enough I suppose.