The legacy media never tires of telling us that Donald Trump has an iron grip on the MAGA Republican Party. Yes, he certainly can knock off infidel Republicans in red state primaries. However, the underlying assumption of these stories — that Trump remains a powerhouse in American politics — defies reality. Instead of a colossus, he has become a big fish in a shrinking, fetid pond of MAGA loyalists.
In doing so, he cuts off an escape route for Republicans in general elections, making it virtually impossible for Republicans to create any daylight between themselves and Trump as the latter hits new polling lows each week. The primary results Tuesday and his decision to endorse MAGA scandal-plagued Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton hold several critical lessons as we move closer to the midterms.
It’s the MAGA voters
While it would be lovely to pretend that Trump voters have gone through some self-reflection, the number of Trump cultists in the Republican primary electorate is shockingly high. These voters dumped Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) and, on Saturday, Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) It would be a mistake to deny these voters agency; they want crazed, extreme leadership drenched in white supremacy.
These voters pose a significant problem for any segment of Republicans who want to turn the page after Trump leaves (or after the midterms). This group may understand that a lawless, conspiracy-minded cult is unfit to govern and unelectable nationwide, but MAGA loyalists will remain an albatross around their necks, vigorously opposing any normalization of the party.
Perhaps defeat in general elections will awaken MAGA voters, but we should be honest about the depth of the problem. The threat to democracy, sanity, and decency comes not from just Trump or elected Republicans — but from millions of voters. Since they appear to be utterly unreachable in the short term, democracy defenders must deliver a robust turnout of the rest of the electorate to swamp the hardened MAGA contingent.
Trump endangers Republicans in competitive races
By weeding out any normal Republicans (forcing dozens of retirements and primarying any Republicans with a smidgen of spine), Trump makes it impossible for the rest and the party as a whole to maintain any daylight between them and Trump.
In the near term, Trump’s insistence on pushing forward the most extreme, unhinged candidates and forcing the party to pursue a wholly unpopular agenda will drag down Republicans’ chance of victory in November’s general elections. It is one thing for Massie to lose in a deep red Kentucky district; it is quite another to put in play Texas with a nominee like Paxton. No wonder Senate Republicans are freaking out.
Democrats surely can make the case that it is not just Trump but all Republican electeds who are pro-war and utterly indifferent to Americans’ economic travails. If Americans are disgusted by egregious corruption, including a $1.8B slush fund (accessible even to felons who attacked our police), then they should hold Republicans — who refuse to criticize (let alone stop) the plundering, responsible. We face not only the most corrupt president in history, but the most corruption-friendly party in memory. (At least Tammany Hall delivered jobs and services to the masses.)
There should be no hiding for Republicans their complete subservience to a president whose poll numbers continue to dive. Trump wants no one in office not entirely supportive of him and all of his whims; Democrats should make sure the anti-Trump electorate understands this.
Six for 2026
Democrats will have a field day running against Trump’s tariffs/price surge, the unnecessary and counterproductive war, corruption and cronyism — all of which Republicans enabled. However, Republicans’ jaw-dropping lack of accomplishments and obsession with things that are irrelevant to, or antagonistic to, ordinary Americans’ concerns (e.g. Jim Crow gerrymandering, ballrooms, billions more for the widely hated ICE) leave an opening for Democrats to construct a short, powerful agenda.
“Six for 2026” could include some basic objectives that go to the overarching issues of cost, corruption, and chaos:
Investigate and end the massive corruption
Reclaim tariff power and push for return of illegal tariff monies to consumers
Reverse cuts to Medicaid and reissue Affordable Care Act subsidies
Cut off offensive combat operations against Iran and conduct a full accounting of the decision and execution of the war
Rein in ICE and return to a reasonable budgeting plan
Agree to regulate and give residents a say in massive data centers (a growing bipartisan opposition to gargantuan facilities that drive up energy costs and create environmental hazards makes this a potent issue).
In sum, Trump is making the Republican Party crazier and less electable by the day. Whatever the results in November, the GOP contingent in the House and Senate will be more extreme and more beholden to their cult leader. The fringe in the Republican Party is unquestionably the mainstream.
Democrats therefore have the chance to assemble the widest coalition in recent history, underscore the depravity of the MAGA party, and present a sane alternative in step with the concerns of the overwhelming number of voters.
The old Republican Party of Lincoln & Reagan that you (& I) once were involved with no longer exists. That old Republican Party is dead & gone. That old Republican Party will never return. The very name "Republican Party" has become exceptionally toxic to tens of millions of American voters from all sorts of backgrounds & viewpoints. May the current MAGA Republican Party soon share the fate of the Whig Party.
Add a seventh-TAX THE BILLIONAIRES.